Megaman Starforce Zero: Zero's Awakening
by Kinji Takakura
Summary: Revised Story. Takes place in Megaman Starforce Universe with Starforce/Zero/ZX/maybe X and Battle Network characters.A bit AU with Megaman Zero as the main character as he takes on Mavericks, EM Viruses and insane megalomaniacs while trying to figure out his place in this world. Pairings TBD but most likely Zero is gonna be real popular with the girls.I mean, come on, it's Zero.
1. Prologue

Say hello to my newly revised Megaman Starforce Zero fanfic. Don't be surprised that it's similar to my old one, it technically is with a small plot change: Zero is the only main hero of my fic and he has the ability to Wave Change without the need of a Wizard or any kind of EM being. Why? I'll explain it later in the story. So yeah, while I was making the changes, I didn't want to rewrite like the whole story. I mean, come on, it's 30 000 words for crying out loud! And coming up with ideas are hard enough.

Anyways, this Zero is human (to fit the setting of the Megaman Starforce series) and since he's not in the middle of some big war, he's not exactly the cold, merciless fighter we all know and love...Well not yet Haha always love to build things up, it makes the plot more fun that way for me.

Anyways, here's the revised story, and since I was like really lazy with the edits, I may have accidentally left out some parts that needs changing. If there's any part I forgot and when you read the story, it doesn't make sense, let me know and I'll look into it ASAP!

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Megaman series. I'm just a big fan of their games (especially the Zero series) and I write this only for fun**

_**Prologue: One Rainy Day**_

It was cold and I was freezing. The rain won't seem to let up and it kept pouring down on my head.

When I looked up at the skies, they seem so grey, as if it too was crying.

I wish I could cry, then I actually could feel something on my cool, numb face.

My eye felt so tired and dry. I could barely keep it open and yet the most could do was blink every 30 seconds.

Great, now I have an itch underneath my right ear. I'd scratch it if it weren't for these bandages wrapped around my eye.

Come to think of it, what are they doing on my face? Since while we're at it, where am I? What happened to me that caused me to end up here?

It's strange...I don't remember anything from before I came here. All I knew was my name...well my first name anyways. I don't have a last name and as far as I know, I don't have a family either.

It's just me in this literally cold world...well me, the raggy clothes on my back and this thin blanket wrapped around my shoulders that I got from who knows where.

I must have eyes of a dead man or something. If someone looks into them, what would they see? Who would they find? All they would see is an empty screen, a blank void of nothingness.

Brrr...it sure is cold...

I look up into this sky with my free eye. It doesn't look like the rain is gonna let up anytime soon...great...

Look at the bright side, the rain's gonna wash the muck and grime that's been stuck to my hair for days. Ugh, I don't even want to know what that is behind my back.

My hair's definitely seen better days, how did it get this long? It pretty much reaches down to my back and my bangs hanged down, covering most of my face.

My bangs covered one of my dense black pupils. I could really use a trim...about 6 months ago.

I look down at the puddle at my feet. I see the reflection of a boy, arguably no older than 6 years old but with the stern face that can only belong to a brooding and serious 16 year old.

Man, I'm getting old too soon and too fast to be looking like this. Still though, I can see a sharp jaw line, a small constant frown, smooth baby skin and clear complexion that makes me look like delicate and feminine but at the same time, very stern and steadfast.

Oh and I'm not exaggerating when I say this but with my face and long blonde hair, I look like a girl no matter how you slice it...a very brooding, straight face, no-nonsense girl but a girl nonetheless...I'm a boy, by the way. Don't let anyone tell you different!

Just for the record, I've been sitting in this same place for about a week now, surviving on scraps...well not really. I haven't been eating much, if at all. How I'm not starving to death is beyond me,

Of course, that said, my stomach feels like it's eating itself. It's not fun...not fun at all.

While I'm sitting here, I huddled my knees close to my chin and wrapped my arms around them to conserve body heat. I lowered my face in, crouching down in some kind of fetal position.

To be honest, I'm not sitting here because I'm giving up on my life, waiting for someone to come in and save me from...well, this.

The truth is I haven't given up on anything...because there's nothing to give up on.

Even now I ask myself:

How did I end up here?

Why is it that I can't remember anything from before I ended up in this place?

Why do I feel like these missing memories hold something important...and terrifying...?

It's like I was dropped off here out of nowhere after getting a big hit in the head...er, and maybe eye

Without parents, without memories.

Just a name, just 6 little letters that tells very little if anything at all about who I am.

Not sure if this name is mine either but it's better than going around, calling me 'Anonymous.'

Now that's just weird...

But seriously, there's so little I know about me even though I have so much knowledge about the outside world and everything around me.

'BrotherBand', 'Transers', EM technology, EM Wave Worlds that makes cyberspace and the 'world wide net' look like ancient relics, and the satellite servers: Dragon, Pegasus and Leo.

I can go into hours explaining all these and still have plenty to say but if someone ask me what I got on my 3rd birthday, I would lie and make something up and the conversation would die in 5 seconds flat.

...

It's really creeping me out when I know all this when all I have about me is my name.

Just who am I?

Where did I come from?

And who is this 'Dr. Wily' that keeps ringing in my head? Every time, I think about that name I get chills and I feel sick, like something is about to crawl up in my throat and come out in a way I won't like.

This 'Wily' might have the answers I'm searching...but the idea of confronting this person, whoever he may be...

...In truth, it terrifies me, it makes me think I'm better off not knowing.

They do say ignorance is bliss. I wonder if this applies also? I might never know...and I suppose that's a good thing when I think about it.

"Oh, look at you, you're soaking wet. What are you doing out here in the cold? You're gonna get sick."

Another voice, a soft, tender voice came out of nowhere.

A pair of light, thin shoes approached me and the raindrops that continued to beat on my head seems to have stopped.

But the rain never let up.

I raised my head up and my cold lifeless eyes met a pair of kind and caring dark brown eyes.

The woman standing before me held the umbrella out over my head with one hand and hugged a bag of groceries with the other. Her hair matched her eyes and it was tied back into a wild pony tail with her bangs, hanging down on her face.

She was really tall from where I sat...actually everyone was.

She was thin and slender but she had the maturity of a full grown woman. Even at my young age, I can tell she's just your average housewife. A kind, mature woman and when she looked down at me. She was smiling cheerfully.

She looked like a ray of sunlight beyond the dense clouds.

"You'll catch cold if you stay there any longer. You look like you really could use a home. Want to come with me?"

"..."

Why? That's what I wanted to ask but I couldn't get the words out. Why do this, I wanted to say again but my lips won't move.

I lowered my head a little and...ok, scratch the housewife comment, it turns out she's a mother.

I see a little boy, closely clinging to his mother's legs, peeking out with one eye as he looks at me as if I was dangerous. He looked about the same age as me...well, physically anyways.

He had his mother's eyes, although his were quivering nervously. As for his hair...I have to say it was kinda cool.

It was a stronger shade of brown hair compared to his mother, cut cleanly to look like every other boy his age...with the exception of the massive spike portion at the back of his head. The spiked part of his hair almost looked like something out of a manga. It stuck up in a few huge spikes that were probably about 20 cm high at the least.

I wonder if I could make my hair like that...

My eyes met with the boy and instinctively, he hides himself further behind his mother. Classic...

The mother only giggled as she looks down at her son.

"Now, now there's no need to be afraid. He won't bite..."

I feel like a dog as she says that...literally.

The mother turned her head back at me; she kept that smile on her face.

"I know we just met but there's no need to be afraid. If you want, you can come with us. My husband and I would love to have you come in with us and I think Geo here could use a friend to play with."

Geo? Oh, I think she meant the kid. When I looked at him again, he still looked like he was scared of me...but slowly I see more of him come out from behind his mother.

It wasn't one but now I saw two of his eyes, looking at me, still a bit scared but it was much better than before.

He finally comes out from his mother's behind and the two of us locked eyes.

I don't know what he sees but from that profound look I saw, it was like we were communicating, if not bonding from our gaze alone. Well, I don't know about him but I'm just staring at him, like this was a staring contest.

We did it for a while and the fear I saw in his gaze slowly disappeared. I think he's getting more and more used to me, which is good because I'm not that scary...am I?

His lips began to murmur and...he smiled? I think that's a smile anyways, a REALLY small one. And his eyes don't look so afraid.

With a nod of his head, he happily approached me, with his rainboots trudging through the large puddles.

He extends out a hand and I could see his smile clearly. "Hi there, my name is Geo! Geo Stelar! What's your name?"

I got this strangest feeling when I saw his innocent, smiling face. I had the feeling that this kid...was the kind of guy who cries for hours over a scraped knee.

...And you know what, that doesn't sound so bad. This kid could be fun for some laughs. He extends his hand out to what he wanted to call a new friend...and something overcame me. My fingers twitched as I had the burning desire...to take the boy's hand...er, not literally of course.

I watched as his mother got down on one knee and I saw their faces right next to each other as they looked at me, with nothing but smiles. Their faces mirrored one another as they grinned happily.

"My name is Hope Stelar and this is my son, Geo. We're more than happy to adopt you and let you become one with the family if you'll have us. I'll probably have to talk to my husband when we get back but I'm sure he won't mind. We'd love to have you become one with the family. What do you say?"

"Oh please say yes!" The boy called Geo clenched his hands tight and I can see stars in his eyes, "I've always wanted a brother! We can play every day and I can show you my collection of toys!"

His mother giggles slightly, trying to stifle it a little. 'It seems Geo has accepted you! Now you have to join us! We can give you all the food you can eat, a home and most importantly, a family! So please come with us!"

The mother extends out her hand, offering it to me. There was nothing resting in her empty palms...good, because I really don't want to be treated like a frightened stray...even though that is what I am...sadly.

To be honest, I didn't jump into this headfirst, I was cautious of her. Not of her offer or anything, she had the face of someone who'd never lie.

What she said wasn't false hope, but a genuine chance to attain happiness.

I wanted nothing more than a home, a family. The child side of me wanted that more than anything, probably even more than to uncover my lost memories.

But even so as I looked into her palm, I hesitated but not in the way you might expect.

The question lingering in my mind wasn't should I take it, but _can _I take it?

Can I take this family's happiness? Take their smiles and make them into my own? Do I really have that right? Am I deserving...or undeserving of this?

I wanted to take that hand but part of me is saying that I shouldn't, that I can't.

If I drown out that voice, I can feel my hand trembling, moving slowly as it unwraps my legs and slowly approaches Hope's hand.

If I take this hand now, my life will change forever. I'll forever become indebted to them. Will it be a debt I'll be unable to repay?

If so, then I wouldn't want to have it any other way.

If I were forced to eternally pay them back for their kindness then it means I can stay with them forever. These feelings I have will never go away and I can do whatever it takes to make sure they all can smile.

It was the least I can do for what they're willing to sacrifice for me.

As my hand came closer, a feeling came over.

It was hard to explain but the pain in my heart, it's getting smaller. And my soul was feeling lighter, like it can soar up and touch the sky. I get the sense that things from here on out will work themselves out for the better.

Is this it...? Is this the sensation that we all strive for? This thing called 'happiness'?

Well, whatever this may be. I can get used to it. In fact, I like it. I wouldn't mind if that's how I felt every day.

My face starts to hurt, around the lips and cheeks. It was uncomfortable but it felt like the edges were curling upwards.

It hurts a bit or rather this feeling is not something I'm used to.

Oh...

...I get it now...

...I'm...smiling, aren't I? This weird feeling on my lips...is a smile...not ever gonna do that again...probably.

My hand came closer and before I knew it, my cold, clammy palms touched the surface of Hope's warm, soothing hands.

When I took her hand and her fingers wrapped around my own oh so tightly, everything changed.

This is where my life began, where my story commenced.

"My name is...Zero." My face began to hurt more as I stretched this 'smile' even further, trying to show them my gratitude.

"It's nice to meet you..."

Everything begins.

On this one rainy day.


	2. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1: EM Wave Change: Megaman and Zero**_

**Part 1**

**7 years later...**

It was the year 220X. Owing to the rapid advances in Wave technology, people are able to enjoy a life of ease and convenience.

It was a time of prospering peace and tranquility in this futuristic society of continuously advancing technology...Well, it's _supposed_ to be anyways.

Even this far in the humble, quiet town of Echo Ridge, where people quietly live out their lives, the electromagnetic or EM technology that hovers over this peaceful, quiet town is quietly being ravaged by EM viruses.

Although Wave technology has grown to make people's lives easier and the concepts of cyberspace and the world wide net obsolete to the world, they have yet to overcome the scourge they call viruses.

Even advanced wave technology has to deal with the growing viral threat circulating through the wave roads just above Echo Ridge.

Even as the people below the hovering wave space blissfully live their lives in ignorance, with little awareness of the ravaging Mettaur viruses that were constantly swinging their pickaxe's on top of the wave road, swinging them down and causing electrical crackles on the circuitry that makes up the modern household.

With their black ball bodies with eyes, yellow hard hats with green crosses on them and a pickaxe in their 'hands' that can send shockwaves, the Mettaur's kept swinging away.

The thing about their hands is that...well they don't have any...unless the pickaxe's count.

Meanwhile, as they swung a white rod of light descends down from the sky, hitting down on one of the many wave road platforms. The white light quickly expands into a controlled of EM waves, which in this society, is the Wave world version of internet data.

The EM radiation takes a humanoid form as a being of light steps onto the Wave World with its feet on the orange coloured world.

Soon enough, the light faded into the form of a boy fitted with thin, streamline blue armoured suit with a light armoured tech gauntlet on his left arm. With his eyes, seeing through the ruby visor of his round blue helmet, his eyes focus at the army of mettaur's going nuts.

The back of his spiked hair stuck out of his helmet and our hero, Geo looks on with a smirk on his face.

"Transcode No. 02 Megaman! Beginning the mission!" Geo or better yet Megaman said as he readies his Mega arm at his side.

Just before Megaman can go to bust some viruses, a few beeps came from his gauntlet, more specifically on his card display.

He raises his Mega arm up before him, glancing at the screen. "Hm? An incoming call? But from who?"

Megaman presses on the central button on the screen and an image appeared, stretching throughout that said 'Sound Only'.

As lights began blinking every so often from the screen, a soft, high voice sounded from the speakers.

[Megaman! Megaman! Do you read me?]

"I read you loud and clear." Megaman responds. He looks around the place a bit, up high in the sky where there wasn't a single rain cloud. He then looks down over the edge of the wave road and he recognized this place anywhere. No doubt, he made it to Echo Ridge, his hometown, safe and sound.

"Looks like I made it! The new Transerver seems to be online and working."

[That's a relief. To be honest, I was worried that it wasn't going to patch through. Anyways, we detected large viral readings all over Echo Ridge. I need you to contain them before it gets out of hand. Do you think you can do that?]

"I got you, Prairie! I'll finish this up and report back as soon as possible."

A few beeps came from his Mega arm and the voice on the screen spoke again.

[I've just got an incoming transmission from Zero. He should be done his assignment in a matter of minutes and he'll be on his way as soon as possible]

"Great I could use the help." Megaman responds as the transmission was cut off. The 'Sound only' quickly changes to 'Signal Lost'.

"Alright!" Megaman prepares his Mega arm and it morphs into his trademark blue cannon, or 'MegaBuster'. He aims his Buster down on one of the Mettaurs and fires a single pink blast from it.

One shot, one deletion. The mettaur that was struck by the blast was immediately deleted, dissolving into data.

"Alright got it!"

_Heads up Geo! _

A second voice came from him. It was a lot deeper and rougher, almost like it belonged to a savage beast.

"Omega-Xis!" Geo's voice lets out as suddenly, in an explosion of what was like green fire burned before him. The flames start to crackle like electricity and a blue armoured beast with red eyes and green lightning like appendages appeared before him.

Green emerald energy burns over its back, making it look like long wild hair burning vibrantly.

The beast moved its massive jaw, and he points his claws over his shoulder, over at the army of mettaur's.

"Heads up kid! You've really got their attention now and they don't look happy!" He explains as all the mettaurs menacingly turned their heads, glaring darkly at them as their pickaxes began to gleam over at Geo.

If they were just a bit scarier looking than Megaman would be intimidated. Now, he just felt like some kind of backyard bully ganging on them. Megaman takes a step back, smiling weakly at them.

"Uh Omega-Xis? Was there always this many of them?" He was staring at what looked like a 10 foot wall made of mettaurs.

Omega-Xis zips back into Megaman in the form of a thin stream of green light. He was nowhere to be seen but Geo can hear him yelling in his head literally.

_C'mon Geo! Let's show these hardhats who own this town!_

"You do realize that's not us, right?" Megaman panics as he was actually talking to himself like a crazy person. He sweats, screaming, "Shouldn't we wait for Zero to show up before we get ourselves into something crazy!"

_Bah! Forget it! No way I'm letting that red show-off get one over on us again! C'mon Geo! _

"This isn't a contest, Omega-Xis!" Megaman complained to the voice in his head. "We have nothing to prove here and you said it yourself that Zero's not a bad guy!"

_Just because I admit it, it doesn't mean I want to stay under the same roof as him._

"Uh, you are staying under the same roof as him...for the past year or so now." Megaman mentioned.

_It doesn't mean I have to like it..._

Megaman sighs as he hears Omega-Xis constantly grumbling to himself inside his head. Then it finally donned on him as his eyes snapped open.

He realized they've been talking for a while now...and while they were talking, the viruses...

...were swarming him from every angle.

Megaman panics as he found no way out as wave after wave of viruses surrounded him everywhere. He saw nothing but mettaurs as far as the eye could see, all marching forward and all raising pickaxe's...and not in a good way.

"Omega-Xis! It looks like we're doing things your way after all!"

_Aw yeah! Time to stretch out the old muscles! I'm gonna enjoy this!_

"That makes one of us..." Megaman sighs as he readies his megabuster on the hordes of Mettaurs closing in. "Wave Routine Set! Execute!"

Megaman began firing from his megabuster charged shots nonstop, blast after blast, deleting the Mettaurs one by one.

Each one stroke disappeared into tiny data fragments and while he was doing damage, the numbers of mettaurs were still insane.

"Aw man they just keep coming!" Megaman gasped as he lowers his buster. His head almost blew up as a little...ok not little voice practically screamed inside.

_Geo! Use a BattleCard!_

"Ow, Omega-Xis! Not so loud but alright!" Megaman materializes a thin blue BattleCard with an image on it out of EM Waves in his hand and sets into the Card Receiver at the rear end of his gauntlet.

"Battle Card! Predation!" Megaman's voice echoes. "Gatling!"

Megaman's left arm begins to glow a bright emerald lightning and it consumes his gauntlet, taking the form of a light green gatling gun with 6 barrels forming a small circle.

He aims his gatling gun at the army of mettaur, spraying endless bullets onto the horde until their numbers were practically cleaved in half.

The entire field before Megaman began to smoke at the empty spaces where the Mettaurs once stood. The numbers that were once overwhelming quickly became scarce and scattered.

Since the Mettaurs lack a brain, or rather the proper intelligence process that EM beings possess, they marched on mindlessly, swinging their pickaxes through empty space rhythmically like an army of mindless drones. No wait, they are an army of mindless drones.

The tip of Megaman's gatling had 6 thin streams of smoke coming off from their tips as his guns now run on empty, without a single bullet to spare.

"Alright! Time to change it up!" Megaman's gatling morphs back into his Mega Arm and in his free right hand, he readies a another BattleCard between his fingers.

"BattleCard! Predation!" Megaman takes the card and slides it into his Mega Arm. "Sword!"

His Mega Arm then morphs into a thin blue short sword with a green crystalline energy blade. He holds his blade before him as he readies it against the army of viruses.

Some of the benefits of fighting in a Wave Changed State are all the incredible feats that one can perform.

In this case, Megaman vanishes in a brief flash of light, disappearing in thin air. A few quick zips and light green arcs were drawn across the staggering Mettaurs.

Their eyes became X's as green lighted arcs were drawn across their body, either vertically, horizontally or diagonally.

Megaman's movements were light as air and even faster than sound as he flashes all around and in between Mettaur's.

He appears immediately behind the other side of the Mettaur army with his sword slashed through the air. He paused as he silently stayed in that one pause, unchanging his stance and keeping his sword pointed to the side.

Megaman and the army of mettaurs had their backs facing each other as it felt like all time around them had stopped.

A tense silence fills the air and seconds began to feel like minutes. Only a few seconds played out until finally, the Mettaur's were being deleted out of thin air from the cuts on their bodies, one by one. Their EM Waves disperses into the air as the green arc drawn on their bodies began to take its toll.

Megaman's arm change back into his Mega Arm the moment the last of them was finally deleted and the Virus Busting was complete.

He pulls his feet, standing shoulder width apart as his right hand squeezed on the left forearm of his Mega Arm.

"Well, I think that's all of them..." As he massaged his forearm a little, trying to get this annoying ache out of his systems, he was blissfully unaware of that last mettaur that he missed, crawling up at him from behind.

It inched closer and closer and it was so puny that Megaman hardly noticed it. Well the fact that he had to deal with grumbling Omega-Xis didn't help him at all either.

"Mega? Why are you grumbling?" Megaman asked as he looks up to the empty sky.

_You really had to ask? I can't believe you used a trick out of __**his **__book._

"I don't see how that matters. At least you got the exercise without him having to show up to bail us out again."

The Mettaur was practically at his feet, and was already slowly raising its pickaxe on the unsuspecting blue boy.

Megaman was too busy arguing with Omega-Xis to do anything and vice versa. They seriously had no idea what went on behind their back.

_You know, kid. If you were me, you'd know that it basically amounts to the same thing as getting his help._

"It's a good thing I'm not you, Mega. I can barely get my eyes off you without you causing trouble. Remember the lawn mower incident?"

_That was a month ago! And besides I learned from my mistakes._

"That happened twice though!"

_Yeah well, nobody's perfect. You haven't noticed the virus sneaking up behind your back._

"Huh? What are you...GAH!"

Letting out a scream, Megaman finally noticed the Mettaur over his shoulder when he turns his head slightly. The Mettaur already had its pickaxe ready to be swung down, and with no room to dodge or counterattack, Megaman throws his arms up before him in a desperate defensive move and he shuts his eyes on his enemy.

He braces himself, physically and mentally as the Mettaur swung its axe down.

However, the attack never connected and the pickaxe paused midway in the air before being only a mere centimetre away from Megaman's visor.

Megaman froze right there and he didn't dare to open his eyes. Although the damage a single Mettaur can cause is no more than a bruise for something like Megaman, a 12 year old kid flinching at the sign of approaching danger is a natural reaction.

However, if he could open his eyes right now, he'd notice the white thin streaks engraved into the Mettaur's tiny body.

The black body had white slash marks carved right through it everywhere The Mettaur's eyes became X's as it looked like time stopped for the little virus and it froze in the air, without moving an inch.

The mettaur gradually disappears into a cluster of pixels and data fragments, floating back into the air in one swift deletion.

A swift gale brushes through Megaman and a light breeze hits his face. It was a familiar nostalgic feeling as the particular wind that hits his face felt like it can only belong to a certain Maverick. It was like his signature and he always did like making a grand entrance, either to make him look cool or it's because he's just a show-off.

Still though, it was a comforting feeling, propelling Megaman to opens his eyes.

Upon first glance, his eyes snapped wide open as the Mettaur that had literally gotten up to his face seems to have disappeared, as if out of thin air.

A new sentinel took the Mettaur's place, just standing a few feet away from Megaman.

He was much taller with a more fully formed body. By that, it meant he actually had arms and legs and a full-grown human body.

Standing there was another armoured warrior, no older and no taller than Megaman himself. Contrasting to Megaman, this one possessed a deep red colour scheme and red armour on his chest, gauntlets, boots and helmet.

The armour looked light and the helmet very streamline, giving the boy a very humanoid and sleek appearance. A blue triangular crystal shined at the front of his helmet and his striking long blonde hair that reached way past his hips was flowing about in the wind, giving him a wild look.

Megaman recognized the green crystal bladed double edge sabre extending out of a simple white hilt in his hand anywhere

"Zero!" Megaman shouts out.

"Geo, I thought I told you to watch your back." Zero lightly scolds him as the gaze from his cold black eyes is enough to scare the daylights even out of his good friend.

Megaman takes a step back, smiling sheepishly as he does not want to be in range of that sabre in fear that he'll end up with another crazy haircut...It was supposed to be a head-cut, Megaman just happened to duck at the right time.

"Sorry about that, I guess it must've snuck up on me while I was talking to Omega-Xis."

"Last I checked, idle conversation wasn't exactly part of the virus busting." Zero sighs, dropping his head as he disengages his beam sabre and stores the hilt at his side. "Anyways, you're lucky I made it here on time or you would've suffered a nasty bruise."

"Yeah...thanks anyways." Megaman expressed timidly as Omega-Xis suddenly appears out of nowhere, standing beside Megaman with his arms crossed and his face scowling at Zero. He was NOT happy.

"Hmph, it's not like we asked for your help. We could've handled that shrimp without your interference." Omega-Xis grumbled under his breath.

"Good to see you too..." Zero retorts under his breath. He was a unique case compared to Geo and Omega-Xis….or any regular human living on this planet for he can perform EM Wave Change without the need of a Wizard or any kind of EM Being to trigger a Wave Change. Why that is, he's never figured it out but then again, there were plenty of mysteries about him that even he can't figure out. All he knows is that despite being a kid, he was a born soldier in both skill and personality. Makes him about of a killjoy in social environments however.

Perhaps something about him in his past made him special…or just weird. He definitely wasn't a normal person that's for sure.

"You noticed it coming from a mile away, didn't you? Why didn't you say anything then?"

"Tch, I'm the kid's partner, not his babysitter. I don't see why I should poke around with every little detail."

"And it's exactly that kind of attitude that forces me to step in every time. We busted our rear ends trying to get here in time and this is the thanks we get?"

Those two continued their argument off at the side...Well it was more like Omega-Xis roaring like a savage beast against Zero, who kept his arms crossed and his demeanour cool-headed. He keeps going on and on berating Omega-Xis, giving him names and stuff and Omega-Xis just keep adding more fuel to the fire, looking like he was ready to rumble.

Meanwhile, Geo did his best to ignore them...and that's saying something.

"How long are they're gonna be at it at this time?"

Geo speaks to….well, no one in particular.

He vaguely remembered the last time they got into an argument. It wasn't fun. It was over something stupid, so stupid that they can't remember what it was. Something about a mouse, he thinks.

Anyways, their argument dragged out all night one time. Zero wouldn't stop with the criticizing and Omega-Xis wouldn't stop with all the roaring outbursts that is enough to shake the whole room. They did it until dawn and Geo...had no sleep whatsoever. No sleep!

Geo crammed ear plugs into him and even smothered his head into his pillow,

Back to the now, somehow they ended up stopping their argument...much, much, MUCH sooner than he realizes.

A few bleeps came from the side of Zero's helmet and everyone raised their head, looking over to the red maverick.

Zero pressed two fingers on the side of his helmet, looking towards the sides of it.

"Hello? Zero speaking."

[Zero! Oh good, I was worried about you!]

"Good to hear from you too, Prairie. It's funny to hear you worry over a simple Maverick Hunt. So what is it, another assignment?"

[N-No...I just wanted to check up on you, is all. Have you completed your assignment yet?]

"Yeah, and I just met up with Megaman here too."

[Perfect, I want you two to report back to Guardian HQ as soon as possible. I'd like to have a word with you two.]

"Alright, I'll hear you loud and clear." Zero responds as he pulls his fingers off his helmet and therefore, ending the transmission. He looks at Megaman, and his EM partner, Omega-Xis retreats back into Megamans body as he transmist himself through the helmet.

"It looks like it's time to go..."

Megaman nods his head affirmatively, "I hope we're done soon. We start school at Echo Elementary tomorrow."

"Ugh..." Zero begins to feel depressed just think about it. Like all kids his age, he isn't all that hyper about starting school again. If anything he hates more than viruses and mavericks, it's a little thing called homework. "Don't remind me...C'mon let's go..."

The two of them looked up at the sky and their entire body emitted an intense white light. They glowed intensely until a ball of white light formed around the two of them.

The twin balls of light simultaneously turned into two thin white streaks that transmit high into the sky, vanishing without leaving even a trace.

**Part 2**

The Guardians HQ was a massive air cruiser that floats high above the high sky, encircling the globe constantly on a daily basis, running and operating on state of the art technology that's far ahead of its time.

The size of it was comparable to a cruise ship ocean liner, used by civilians on vacations but the funding, time and effort put into this massive ship alone is almost unreal in this society.

It floats peacefully, gliding through the sky like it has been for the past 50 years since it's establishment, and daily maintenance routines as well as various government funding keeps it literally up and running.

The fact that countries all over the world invested tirelessly into the Guardian's cause just shows how crucial their importance is in this society.

As the Guardian HQ continues to fly around the world, one of the Transervers released a bright flash of light that reflects on the steel walls.

The light gradually dies out, taking the form of twin sentinels as Zero and Megaman steps out of the circular transerver pad, first being greeted by a row of Guardian soldiers, carefully loading and aiming the laser sights of their rifles down on Zero and Megaman's chest.

All the lasers narrowed down straight for their hearts and Megaman panics. "Yikes! This seems a bit much, don't you think?"

Zero sighs, putting his hand to the side as he drops his head slightly. "Really not feeling the love here guys..."

All the Guardian soldiers, dressed neatly in their uniforms and standing at varying sizes, lowered their arms at the side, giving the two boys a proper salute as they stand straight.

"Sorry about that you two. It's standard protocol. We can't take the chance of someone hacking our signals and infiltrating our base using the Transerver."

"We're not at war, you know..." Zero stated dully, "Well...not yet anyways..."

"It's better to be safe than sorry, right? I remember you saying that awhile back..."

"Oh Prairie...Just the person I wanted to hear from..." Zero sighs again as both Megaman and Zero turned their heads slightly to the source of the sound of that familiar female's voice.

They watched as two soldiers promptly step to the side, allowing a young girl, probably no older than Zero, to walk in forward, carrying a white kitten stuffed animal hugged in her arm and gazing up at the two boys with a relieved smile and firm yet gentle blue eyes. She looked like a gentle girl with a delicate visage and soft skin.

She wore a heavy pink coat on her petite body and long blonde hair extends out of her square pink cap, trailing down to her hips and being tied into a ponytail right at the end.

She walks over to the control panel, sitting at the side of the room, just next to the large transerver pad. She pressed on the comm pad. "Gardenia, scramble the transerver signal for now, please."

[Yes, ma'am. Would you like me to cut all power to the Transerver room as well?]

A voice asked from the speaker on the panel.

"That won't be necessary. We still need to send these two home before the end of the day. Until then, keep the signal scrambled until further notice."

[Understood.]

The transmission cuts off as soon as Prairie removes her two fingers off the panel. Soon after, she directs her attention to all the soldiers still standing around and crowding up the already cramped Transerver room.

"You can all go now and tend to your duties."

"Yes, ma-am!" All the soldiers saluted before pouring out of the room 3 at a time through the small doorway. A few times there was always this one fat guy that got stuck in, crushing the two skinny guys at the side.

They got out eventually but not before turning their skinny guys body all crooked like. They never really looked the same after that.

Everyone cleared out until along Prairie, Zero and Megaman remained. The two boys stood there stiff as Prairie had eyes firmly on the two of them. She had that look that said 'You're in trouble' or something along those lines.

"Relax, you two aren't in trouble or anything..."

She seems to be good at reading the atmosphere that's for sure. She figured what the two were thinking in about 5 seconds flat. The boys let out a sigh of relief, feeling the air they breathed getting so much lighter now.

Immediately, the two fazed out of their armours, exiting their wave changed states as the armour hugging their bodies dissipate into scattered glowing EM waves. Zero was encased with a bright crimson light while Megaman was encased in an azure blue.

The EM waves scattered, disappearing into the air, revealing the two boys that stood in the place of the two warriors.

Megaman turned back into Geo, who had grown over the years and was now much taller, although still about average height as well as an above average physique. His head coupled with that same spike hair look had an emerald crystalline visor resting on top of his head and a golden star-shaped pendant tied to a thin black string around his neck.

He had a red sweater around connected two a pair of red fingerless gloves with wrist bracelets tied around. He wore red boots with black soles, a pair of blue shorts and a belt around his waists with a compartment that held his battle cards.

Geo had grown considerably over the years but that was nothing compared to the boy next to him.

It was primarily black but with added red to his attire. He wore a tight black turtleneck sweater that stuck to his slim, athletic build, along with a pair of black gloves and black trousers. The leggings of his pants were stuffed into calf-length red boots and his waist was wrapped around by 3 red belts. His most distinctive feature was his flashy red long-sleeved jacket, which hugs his body firmly.

The boy had a very slim yet muscular build, which results from years of vigorous training.

With his slightly unkempt blonde hair that parts more towards his right side and his bangs hanging down on his face, covering the space between his eyes slightly, the boy had a kind, easy going look on his face. His hair had been cleaned up greatly ever since his childhood days, although it was still long up to his lower back and tied back into a thin ponytail.

Zero's hands fingers gripped tightly on his red Hunter-VG, a personal terminal device that carried many functions such as sending emails, acting as a cellular phone, and aiding in the deletion of viruses. Hunter-VG's also act to store Wizards, or better yet known as EM beings such as Omega-Xis.

In fact, the Omega-Xis zipped out of his Hunter-VG in a thin flash, appearing right next to Geo.

Zero had no partner of his own to work with, since he can initiate EM Wave Change just fine on his own. He also had no reason to change his name to anything else too when Wave Changed because regardless of his form, he was always fighting in any situation. In fact, an extra name would just make things more confusing for him.

Prairie looks from left to right at the party of 3 with a nod and a small smile. "Project Transcode No. 01, Zero...and Project Transcode No. 02, Omega-Xis and Geo Stelar, who has better known as Megaman."

Her smile grew wider as her genuine happiness became well shown. "Welcome back, you two...It's been a while."

"Ms. Prairie, what do you need to talk to us for?" Geo asked earnestly, while everyone else just laid back, waiting patiently for an answer.

And their answer was not they were expecting.

"There's someone I like you to meet."

Everyone raised a brow, instantly becoming curious as they looked at one another, confused and baffled before looking back at Prairie.

"Someone? Who? A member of the Satella Police?" Zero asked, raising a brow. "Wait, if it's about that explosion that wiped out half of Mount Heaven then let me just say in my defense that the maverick started it..."

Prairie, no not just Prairie but everyone in the room looked at Zero with absolutely no idea what was going on. Prairie mentioned in a suspicious tone.

"I didn't even know what caused that explosion but now..." Prairie narrows her eyes on the possible suspect, who tried to look innocent and playing dumb. "...I think I have a good lead...but no, it's not the Satella Police. Actually, it's a new member of the Guardians and I think this person will become a part of Zero's unit."

Everyone aside from Prairie murmured lightly, a bit surprised and confused for multiple reasons.

One, they totally expected a member of the Satella Police since both them and the Guardians work together to combat threats and protect the peace such as EM viruses, Mavericks, and crazed lunatics bent on world domination. The difference is Satella Police is more 'official' as a group and 'organized' compared to the more 'freelancing' Guardians.

The Guardians is more of a volunteer group, watching the world around the clock and handling the difficult assignments that the Satella Police can't handle. Actually, it's more like the Guardians is just a faction within the Satella Police.

The Guardian's do their own thing and their part to uphold the peace while the Satella Police supply the organization with funding to keep it running smoothly and keeping it under watch to prevent things from getting out of hand. The Guardians in turn supply manpower and strength to combat EM threats that the Satella Police lacks the ability to properly combat.

Another important thing to mention that the Satella Police don't possess the ability to Wave Change while the Guardians on the other hand, already had two members with that power and more than knows how to use it.

This single factor alone gives the Guardian an edge over the Satella Police. Two individuals alone are able to tilt things to their favour and the efforts of Geo and Zero is what makes the Guardians well-known and incredibly efficient...although to the public, they are simply Megaman and Zero.

And another thing, unit?

"Hey wait a minute!" Zero interrupts as he and Geo follow soon after Prairie who turns around, heading out the door as she turns left into the hallways. Both Zero and Geo followed after her, stomping their feet on the steel floor while Omega-Xis just hovered with hardly any effort to follow his partner.

"Hey! Prairie! What's this about my unit!" Zero demanded, almost yelling straight into her ear as he slightly leans forward. "I don't have a unit!"

"You do now!" Prairie exclaims with her head high and a look as if she's trying to ignore Zero's scream. She's not ignoring them very well though. "As you know, I organized most of the Guardian members already, separating them into specific unit, just to make things easier for me. I've already established the structure of my organization but before everything could be set, I have two wildcards to deal with. That would be you two."

"Ms. Prairie! What do you mean by that?" Geo asked, barely keeping up in his boots. Why he wears shoes not meant for running, he will never know.

"I mean I have yet to place you two in a unit where your abilities are put to full use. So as of today, I decided to establish a special unit, which would act as my right hand. I call it the elite 0 unit, otherwise known as the Zero Squad."

Zero can already figure out half of what was going on from that name alone and to be honest, he was not thrilled...not thrilled in the slightest.

"Can I resign?"

"Cute." Prairie admits dryly. "My mind's made up and there's nothing you can say. Zero, as an S-Class Guardian, I'll be appointing you as commander of the Zero Squad."

"How about I just be the grunt man?" He asked seriously. He was actually being serious. He never liked the idea of being a leader or a hero or anything amongst the sort. Just Zero or Zero is good enough for him.

Prairie shakes her head adamantly, her face displaying a stubborn pout. "Nope! Like it or not, as commander, I hereby order you to take the position! It's either that or you become my second-in-command."

"So leader of the Zero Squad huh? That doesn't so bad all of a sudden!" Zero admits cleanly with a sudden change in attitude, posing a faux smile as he tries dodging the subject. The second-in-command was even worse than the Captain idea...so he's going for the captain idea.

Looking back at Zero's expression, Prairie can't help but smile sweetly at the nervous sweat crawling down his cheek. "Yep, as members of the Zero Squad, you'll be considered to be elite, with authority within the Guardian's second to my own. You'll be under my direct command, taking orders and assignments only from me. Consider it my own personal force."

"So basically everything's the same, just you're putting a fancy title on it, am I right?"

"Pretty much!" Prairie admits cleanly, without hesitation or guilt in the slightest. "You're free to do what you want, determine what you think is to be the best course of action and act on your own judgement when you believe it to be necessary. The Zero Squad will consist of-..."

"Let me guess, people with the ability to Wave Change like Geo and me right?"

"Bingo!" Prairie's grin grew larger, further irritating the boy.

"That's two whole people right there! That's not a squadron, that's a partnership!"

Geo looks at his obviously worked-up and possibly over-heated friend, sweating nervously or due to the fires surrounding Zero as he smile weakly. "Now, now calm down, I'm pretty sure there are others out there who can perform EM Wave Change, just like us!"

Zero crossed his arms, brow twitching furiously. "Yeah, but the only people here in the Guardians with an EM being for a partner as well as the ability to EM Wave Change are standing right here." One of his eyes snapped open, "Unless..."

"Unless the new member I'm talking about just happens to fit those qualifications?" Prairie interrupted, having read Zero's mind like an open book. "You got it right! Now..."

Prairie stops before a steel plated door, leading to the Guardian Airship's main bridge. She turns around, looking at the two boys at they stood side by side. "Let's get the introductions underway, shall we?"

The boys showed no response. In fact, Zero only sighed, dropping his head like his neck snapped or something...well something snapped that's for sure.

Prairie presses on the control panel on the side, and the door slides open.

The group stepped into the bridge and their eyes met the great ocean horizons that stretched far as the eye can see.

"Just where are we right now?" Geo asked as his eyes gaped at the outside world, just beyond the huge glass clear windows with his mouth gaping with astonishment.

Prairie explains as she takes her seat on the large captain's chair, turning on its rotor all around until she faces the two boys. "We're somewhere just over the North Oceans; we should brpassing over Chill City any moment now."

Geo's mouth gapes wide open as his eyes practically sparkled at what he saw. A grin appears on his face."Wow, I wonder what we'll find here!"

Meanwhile, just behind his back, Zero just remembered something important as his scratches his cheek lightly, stretching a painful smile.

"Oops, forgot to tell him there's no such thing Santa Claus. Oh well…."

"Alright, let's get to the matter at hand!" Prairie ordered from the two boys, who stand firmly side by side right before her. "First order of business, now that I cleared up the issue concerning the newly formed Zero Squad, I'd like you to meet your newest member."

"So we went from duo to trio? Yeah, we're a squadron all right." Zero retorts sarcastically, placing a hand on his hip as he looks at Prairie. "So where is this newbie?"

"She's standing right behind you!" A new voice came out of nowhere. It was light and high like a girl's but firm and confident. It belonged to the kind of person who isn't afraid to fight for what's right...or most usually, against a boy who asserts guys are better than girls.

It was a voice neither boy's recognize but it raised interest nonetheless, they both turned inward, looking towards the door they just came in through.

Prairie smiles as she announces, "Let me introduce you to Aile. She's the newest member of the Guardians, just starting today and she'll be part of your team."

"Hello there, the name's Aile. I hope we can get along. I'm looking towards you two to show me the ropes about being a great Guardian." The girl gives a small wave with her hand as she smiles at the two boys. Her bright emerald green eyes met with the two boys, who instantly took note of her genuine smile.

She was short, about an inch under Geo and was just as thin and scrawny. She had short brown hair, barely reaching past her neck, giving her an almost tomboyish appearance. She dresses in a blue tight outfit that extends to her hands forming fingerless gloves as well as to her feet, which were covered by simple blue shoes with yellow rings around the ankle. She wore yellow steel bracelets around her wrists, a heavy blue vest zipped all the way up and a pair of cargo shorts.

She lightly approaches the two of them, with a firm smile as she said, "It's a real honour to meet the real Megaman and Zero in person. I never knew that the two most famous guardians were so young. You're like the same age as me."

She takes a glance at Geo, seeing nothing but a typical 12 year old boy who looks a bit on the shy type but an otherwise friendly person...she had to admit that the Visualizer on top of his head was pretty cool too.

She tilts her head slightly towards the right. The first impression she got when she saw Zero was that he was a cold and focused person, possibly with a smart mouth and short temper, the kind of guy who can get on your nerves but at the same time, someone you can trust to get the job done.

She takes a step towards Zero, "So you're the leader of the newly established Zero Squad huh? Not to be rude but do you think you can actually lead your own team?"

"You know, considering that the only members are you, me and the kid right here, I really wouldn't call it a team." Zero gestures towards Geo with his thumb. "Babysitting the two of you shouldn't be too hard. Just don't fight over the remote when you're watching TV."

"Well then, I'm honoured to be working with the two of you. I guess to be the best, you have to learn from the best, right?"

Upon Aile's formal words, Zero simply scratched his head, looking to the side. "Well, not exactly how I'd put it but whatever makes you happy I guess. This is my first time ever being the leader or anything..."

Zero then leans towards Aile, with a half-opened gaze in his eyes, judging her with his bored eyes. "You get what I'm saying right? I'm not used to this leader stuff but that doesn't mean I'm gonna soften things up for you because you're new. If you're working with me then be prepared to get worked to the ground. Anything goes as long as the mission is complete. That's how it is when working with me..."

He then glares at Geo to the side, who almost jumped out of his skin as his whole body shivered.

"That goes for you too, Geo..."

"R-Right..."

Geo had a bad feeling that the days laid out ahead of him...weren't gonna be fun at all.

Aile returns Zero's words with a small smile. "I'll be sure to meet your expectations, if not exceed them. After all, I'll be working with the infamous Zero. I'm pretty sure everyone would kill to be in my place. I have to make sure I don't take this opportunity for granted."

"I see...Wait, infamous?" Upon hearing that, Zero raised a brow in confusion. "What did I do that made me 'infamous'? On second that, I don't want to know." He began to feel sick, like he had ate something bad. As bad memories began to pop in his mind, the last thing he wants was them being mentioned once more.

"Anyways, now that your introductions are out of the way, isn't it about time that your friend came out to say hi?"

"H-Huh? What are you talking about?" Aile stammered, taking a step back as she felt threatened by Zero's hard expression. She had nothing to hide obviously but she can't help but feel naturally intimidated at Zero's expression, despite at the same time, feeling admirable at him as well.

Zero lets out a sigh, brow twitching as he impatiently taps his finger. He'd be shaking his foot up and down.

"Do I have to spell it out for you? You're part of the Zero Squad so that means you must have the ability to perform EM Wave Change and that can only work when you have a Wizard or some kind of EM being in that Hunter-VG of yours. So who is it? You know about us so it's only fair that we know about your partner too..."

And then a voice came out and a few bleeping lights emerged from Aile's Hunter-VG, which was just around her waist.

"Aw, you never changed do you Zero? Still as critical as ever I see and nothing gets by you!"

Everyone turned their attention to Aile's Hunter-VG and Zero snapped his eyes wide open, gasping horrifically as he strangely feels a chill going through his body.

"That voice...! It can't be!"

Just then, a bright flash of aqua light came out of Aile's Hunter-VG, zipping it out in a thin stream that lands right next to Aile.

EM waves began to come together, condensing and taking a more humanoid shape.

Aile's Wizard appeared right before them, looking humanoid like Zero but with a much more feminine appearance...since this one actually is a girl. She looked young, arguably a few years older than Aile if she were a human. Her armour is coloured a light blue, fit for her feminine frame as it looked slim and light. Her helmet frames her face in such a manner as to resemble hair, with the sides forming the 'fringe' and a seashell motif forming the 'bangs'. The back is mounted with a long dorsal fin-like jet and in her hand; she wielded a harpoon-like weapon. Her full blue eyes were filled with mischief as she glances at Zero, smirking.

"Long time no see, Zero...or not, it's hard to tell since you still look the same, I see. It looks like you still haven't learned how to smile yet...It's been like how long, 1, 2 years maybe…"

Zero grits his teeth tightly, hissing his words out. "Leviathan... Of all the EM beings in existence, why did it have to be you?"

Aile was lost, Geo was lost, Prairie was lost even the operators working the terminals and weren't even so supposed to listen in was strangely lost. Not only that but they can sense overwhelming hostility from Zero that could be enough to ground everyone though the steel floors.

Zero looks up with his more with a truly dumbfounded expression. "You two know each other?"

Zero looks like he was getting sick again.

"Yeah, more or less...We clashed blades once or twice a year ago on one of my missions. I never thought I'd meet her again quite like this though."

Leviathan simply scoffed while crossing her arms, "Cross blades, nothing! I've never met a better challenge than Zero. I yearn for the day where I can make him grovel at the end of my blade. Isn't that right, Zero~" She said in a somewhat cutesy tone while winking flirtatiously at Zero, who only shivered with disgust.

"What are you even doing here anyways? Didn't you and like 3 other guys have some big Guardian, protecting some big important whatever? What happened to that and why aren't you there instead of here, bugging me?"

"Aw Zero why do you got to be like that?"Leviathan whines with an ironically huge grin on her face. "Anyways, yeah I'm totally done with that Guardian job now that all of our duties are fulfilled. I pretty much split off from those other guys and since I was bored with nothing better to do, I thought I'd come here!"

She didn't hesitate to jump the boy and began crossing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly, as she rubs her cheek against Zero, loves every second of it.

Zero unfortunately never shared into the sentiment. He was grinding his teeth constantly and twitching his brow at near-light speed. His face looked like a volcano was about to erupt, and it will. Everyone took a step back as sweat nervously crawled down their heads.

They DID not want to be within a 500 mile radius of this...but if they stepped out of that range, they'd be literally abandoning ship.

"Get. Off. ME!" Zero violent lashes out, pushing her away with as much force as she could muster as the iron grip of her arms was ripped off of his neck. Zero distanced himself, jumping away as he wipes off this disgusting feeling left on his cheek that was enough to make him puke.

"Don't touch me again!" Zero angrily cries out. "Enough of the games. What are you doing here? If you're done here, why don't you just go back to wherever the hell you came from!"

Leviathan only narrowed her eyes, putting both hands on her hips as she stared at Zero with a hazy glare.

"Oh? I decided to come here rather that return home with all those other guys just to see you and this is the treatment I get...?"

"If that's how you feel then just go home! In fact, you are the last person I ever want to see again after you almost killed me the first time!"

"Hmm...Is that so...?" Leviathan had a rather dissatisfied look on her face. "Well like it or not, I'm staying. I came here because I was bored. With my favourite sparring partner gone, I had nothing to do so I decided to track you down to see where you at."

Leviathan raised a hand, pointing at her partner as she says, "That's when I met her. When I found it we could Wave Change, I thought 'go for it' and before I knew it, I was having a blast taking down viruses and mavericks. I kinda understand now why you do this. In fact, I don't think I ever want to leave."

"Great..." Zero groaned.

"W-Well..." Aile tries to shake off the uncomfortable atmosphere by changing the subject. "I think we should sit down somewhere so we can properly talk and get to know each other, don't you think?" She suggested, stressing out a smile. Their EM partners nodded, albeit reluctantly and both Geo and Zero looked at Aile with a slight surprise.

Prairie was strongly in agreement with Aile's suggestion. She turns around on her chair, pulling herself away from her terminal to face the trio. "That sounds like a good idea...If you three are working together then it's good for you all to grow accustom to one another. Aile, I'll show you to your living quarters later."

Aile nods her head, "Alright then."

"Alright, then I suppose we should all go then. I suppose the dining hall would be a good place to go. Speaking of which, I'm starving." Zero groaned as he took lead of the party of 5. He steps forward towards the door with his EM partner at his side, with Geo and Aile trailing soon after him.

Just as he approached the heavy steel door, his fingers were just about to press on the switch on the control panel that activates the door's sliding mechanism.

"Please wait!"

Prairie's voice froze Zero's hand. He turns around in confusion, as he raised a brow at her. "Yeah, what is it?"

He noticed Prairie's expression, it was very stern and serious. She didn't look like in the mood to smile and her eyes were fixated on the boy standing in the middle.

"I need to speak to Zero alone please actually. The rest of you can go."

At first, Geo and Aile were hesitant, to leave their friend and leader behind to deal with...whatever Prairie had in store for him but after exchanging glances with him and seeing him nod firmly at them, the two went on ahead with their partners, exiting the bridge through the door until only Zero remained.

"Just Zero..." Prairie states again as she puts her attention on Zero.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Zero asked, to which Prairie only slowly shook her head. "Not here, let's talk elsewhere...at the usual place."

"Alright then."

**Part 3**

"Say what did you think they wanted to talk about?" Aile wondered, taking a bite out of her small sandwich as she and Geo sat around a small around table and the large but incredibly scarce dining hall. It was large enough to fit about 300 or so people at once. Of course, it really depends on the size of the person.

Geo had a small rice ball in his hand, taking a nibble from the top as he says, "Never mind that. What happened to Mega and the others? I didn't see them come in with us."

"I think they went to one of the training rooms to get a little exercise. It looks like Mega really wanted to test his mettle against Leviathan." Aile points out, setting her sandwich down.

"Anyways, it seems being in a place like this will take some getting used to."Aile guessed, as she takes her milk box, poking her straw through the top of the box. She takes a light sip, shrivelling the milk box as she draws out the liquid.

After a healthy gulp, she pulls it away from her lips, asking "Hey what exactly is the relationship between the two of them? They way they talked, it was like they were close."

Geo gulps down the last of his rice ball. A few grains lingered around his lips as he chews it thoroughly, while talking.

"Well, I guess you can call them close. Well to be more accurate, you can say Prairie isn't a stranger to Zero." Geo answered, swallowing his food down his throat. "You see, the two of them have been friends since they were little kids. She hasn't known him for as long as I have and it took a while for Zero to get along with her but eventually in time they became friends."

"I see...so does like Zero have like trust issues or something?" Aile asked.

Geo resisted the urge to laugh at that/ He stifles it and a meek smile appeared on his face. "That's an understatement. That guy will bite the hand of anyone who tries to approach him. He was a lot worse before but now, he seems to have gotten more...mellow."

Aile can't help but cringe at the thought of Zero being more of a jerk than he is now. To her, it was just downright scary, like something out of a monster book. She can totally imagine him literally biting the hands off people like a rabid dog.

"So a guy like that turns out to be our leader, huh? Something tells me I'm not gonna last long in this business."

Geo nods his head, "No kidding, I'm surprised I'm still around for as long as I've been."

Aile leans forward with her elbows resting firmly on the table. "So wait, back then Prairie was already the commander of the Guardians AND Zero was already a member? But they have to be like...6 or something right?"

Geo nods his head, "Well to be more accurate, at that time, I think Prairie's older sister was the leader at the time and Prairie was just really small. They met when Zero saved her from a Maverick attack and ever since that incident, he practically became a Guardian at age 6, whether he wanted to or not. He was just a rookie guardian who barely knew how to take down viruses but he learned fast and rose up the ranks fast. He wasn't able to learn how to Wave Change until last year, but he was already a high-ranking Guardian even before that. He never was good in school but when it comes to this, he's a genius."

"That's amazing..." Aile gasped with mouth in a wide circle, and her eyes glittering awestruck.

Geo simply replies, "That's nothing compared to Prairie. You have no idea how much she puts into trying to become friends with him. That guy Zero hardly ever opened up to anyone, even I, who knew him better than anyone can barely tell what goes on in his mind. So Prairie had it rough trying to get along with him."

Aile nods her head, adding, "It makes sense for her to want to get along with the person who saved her."

"Yeah, it took some time but eventually the two of them became friends. Zero was still...well, Zero but now he treats Prairie the same way he treats me."

Aile raised her brow, "Is that a good thing?"

"That's a good thing..." Geo expressed with a relieved smile, "He may be short with people, a bit foul-mouthed and can be a bit single-minded and blunt, but when you get to know him, he's not a bad guy. He may not make many friends but he sure knows how to treat them right. Believe me, I wouldn't be here right now, if it weren't for him."

Aile felt like she understands a bit more about Zero and who he is. Of course, the more she knew about him, the less she understands whether he was a good person or a bad person. For all she can tell, he might actually be both.

"Say, when did you join the Guardians anyways?"

Me? I joined about last year when I found out about it from Zero. It was around then where I met Mega and the two of us became a member as Megaman. Zero already knew how to perform EM Wave Change without a partner, and that alone is a big mystery. Honestly, even as Megaman I had hard times doing this kind of work so I can't imagine how Zero can do this for so long."

"Just curious, what rank are you anyways?"

Geo scratched the back of his head with a bashful grin. He laughs it off embarrassingly, "Well, even though I've been here for a year already, I'm only a B-Class."

"That's really something though; B-Class isn't an easy rank to obtain. Even though I'm like you, I'm only a D-Class."

"That's actually pretty good. I started off as an E-class myself."

"Say, since we're on the topic, what rank is Zero?"

"Believe it or not, he's an S-class."

S-S-S-S-CLASS!" Aile screams to the top of her lungs, her jaw almost dropping straight through the ground, as she slams her hands on the table, making it violently shake with that one hard pound that almost snapped it in half.

"A-A-A-Aile? Are you okay?"

Geo was scared out of his mind, hugging tightly on the chair out of fear. "W-What was that for?"

"Never mind that, did you say Zero's an S-Class Guardian?"

"Y-Yeah..."

"You're kidding me...!" In disbelief, Aile sat back down on her chair, crossing her arms, nodding a few times. "Prairie told me that S-class Guardians are given special privileges and their authority is only second to the commander herself. It's nothing like the other ranks, S-Class is something only certain individuals can achieve. I heard only a handful of people ever attained it and to think, our leader...wow, I've been completely wrong about him."

She nods her head again, "That's really amazing...He's the same age as me and yet...wow, I feel like a toddler compared to him now."

Geo only laughs it off in a carefree manner. He wasn't gonna tell Aile this or anyone else for the matter but he can understand exactly what she's going through.

Indeed, Geo knew him better than anyone and knew just how amazing he is and the incredible, impossible feats he accomplished. He can take down armies of viruses, mavericks, stop missiles using his wit and bare hands and take down enemies 5, no 10 times his size...

...Now if only he could put that same amount of effort into doing homework.


	3. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2: First Day Mayhem**_

**Part 1**

Leaning against the edge of the sky deck, Zero leans forward gazing up at the sky as he watched the clouds move past him.

He lets the calm wind flows through his hair. The brisk clean air enters into his lungs as he serenely breathes in and out, in and out, in and out.

Something about staring up at the sky, here on the front deck of the ship and standing out in the open air, puts him at ease. It blanks his mind and calms his soul.

There was something about looking at the pure, natural world that puts a small smile on his face and his eyes shone a lively expression. He could stare up here for hours, days, even weeks and he wouldn't be satisfied.

This spot here was always his favourite place to be. Whether he was sad, frustrated, confused, lost, or he just wanted to kill time, he'd come here and look up at the sky, whether it was day or night, hot or cold, clear or cloudy. It didn't matter to him...well, unless it rained, nothing really to look up at except water smacking his face.

"Sorry for the wait!"

Zero turns around to see Prairie standing there, looking a bit stressed from her work but at the same time relieved to see Zero. The winds made her lively as it danced in the hair. She held her hat down with one hand, still able to show out a smile at him.

Zero turns around, leaning his back onto the railings as his hands rest just behind at his side.

"So what did you want to talk about?" He went straight to the point, not even bothering to say 'hi' or do small talk...He never was one for idle chatter, something that had Prairie a little miffed as she swells her cheeks at him, annoyed.

"I just wanted to check up on you, that's all. I thought you'd still be a little upset with my decision to assign you as leader of the Zero Squad."

"A lot of things you do tends to upset me. At this point, I'm used to it." Zero retorts, turning around as he rests on the rails, staring back up at the sky as he leans his body just over the edge. "I mean, making me an S-Class, ordering me around as if I was your personal butler and making me do work like I'm your second-in-command. You really have a knack for getting on my nerves."

"Just for the record I don't intend for it, all of that shows how much I trust you to get the job done and act as my right hand." Prairie expressed, taking a spot next to Zero as she mimics his body expression but instead of sky gazing like him, her eyes were on Zero alone.

"If you weren't so weird, then you might be able to see them as the achievements they are, rather than some kind of cruel punishment."

"Tch. A Guardian's a Guardian, it doesn't matter what the position is. We're all the same once we're out there on the field. It's the added responsibility you get from these titles is what I can't stand."

"Even so, you're different from the other Guardians. I...I feel like I can trust you with anything, including the lives of everyone here, including me..." Prairie confessed as she turns her head up towards the sky, feeling the exact same sentiments and sensations as Zero as she saw the clouds move through the air.

"Everyone has been so wonderful to me, I'm always grateful to them for all their help and all the sacrifices they made for our cause. But you...you're different. I always feel like I can trust you with anything, I can tell you things that I can't tell anyone else. I can confide in you about my feelings and what's on my mind without being nervous about it either. I'm sorry but you're the only one I can entrust this burden to, I can't really do this with anyone else."

"We've been friends for 6 years now. It's natural to talk about stuff like feelings with people you've known longer than total strangers." Zero expressed with his eyes lazily watching the sky like he had nothing better to do.

Prairie only smiles sheepishly, turning her head towards the inattentive boy. "I suppose you're right, but you hardly talk about feelings to anyone, not me and not Geo either. Is it a guy thing to lock yourself up or something?"

"Talking about feelings require having feelings in the first place. That's the one thing I lack as a human being."

It was a very clean answer, something Zero admits without hesitating for even a moment. Hearing that, Prairie can't help but let out a light chuckle. She holds her fist before her mouth but she couldn't the laugh back. As she thought, Zero is and always will be Zero. It was that attitude he had was what she liked about him and his words always seems to make her laugh in more ways than one.

Perhaps that carefree lifestyle and his insensitivity towards any situation was what put her at ease. Being around him, whether it's during peaceful days like these or during a major crisis, she felt the same thing over and over again.

With Zero at her side, she gets the sense that things will work out for the better and it gives her the strength and confidence to lead the Guardians well. In fact, Zero may not even realize it but he's done more for Prairie-and the Guardians-than even he realized. Of course telling him that would just get him angry so she kept it to herself.

However, the feelings she has and the gratitude she feels will never go away, even if it will forever remain unheard of.

She looks up at the azure sky, murmuring, "Has it really been 6 years?"

To her, it only felt like seconds ago that Zero came in all those years ago, saving her life from a rampaging maverick. Of course it was just pure luck really. When the maverick had its attention, readying its weapon on a helpless Prairie, Zero simply threw a big rock at its head, gathering its attention. Then he just jumped to the side when the maverick charged in, letting it crash straight into a wall...Even to this day, he can't believe that actually worked.

Zero simply sighs with nostalgia, rolling his head around on his arms as he continues to look out, "It's been more like 5 and a half, and counting."

"I see..." Her voice suddenly became quiet and her worried eyes began to cast downwards. She can hardly feel the wind against her face as something weighed incredibly on her heart.

"Hey...Zero...?"

"Hmm? What is it?"

"Do you think...things will always be like this?"

Zero looked confused, "I'm not following you..."

Prairie looked like she was having a hard time saying her words. Her eyes hidden behind the shadow of her cap, she clenched her hand tightly over her chest.

"I mean, are we always going to be friends? Or is the only connection we have is the Guardians? When that's gone, would our bond disappear too?"

A long pause came between them, Zero saw the expression on her face, it looked like she was about to cry but tried to choke back her tears.

She wanted a genuine answer that only Zero can answer, and she had never been so serious in her life. Even when commanding the Guardians, she had never felt so troubled before.

"...What are you talking about? I made a promise to you, didn't I?"

"...!" Prairie gasped, her eyes shown out and snapped wide open. Turning her head, she looks at Zero astonished and surprised.

-He actually remembered.

The promise they made as children whom she kept dear to her heart even to this day; he actually remembered that promise.

Zero stares out at the horizons, saying in a clear-cut manner, "It's a rule of mine: I always keep my promises, no matter what, even the ones I've made as a child. I promised you that we would always be friends. When I say that, I mean we'll be friends forever. In order to keep that promise, I'll make sure nothing can ever break out bond."

Zero rule number 1: Never break promises, under any circumstances.

It gets him a lot of trouble, despite it being very admirable in the eyes of most. It was the one thing Prairie liked most about him. Even in the darkest of despairs, Zero's determination to uphold his promises always made her believe that she can trust him. After all in the 6 years they've known each other, she had never once seen him break a promise, no matter how grand or insignificant it may be.

She felt so much better now and her heart felt light. A warm smile came across her face.

"Thank you..."

"Hm? What for? I thought we were just talking."

"It's nothing. I just felt like telling you that..."

"I don't get you sometimes." Zero expressed with a sigh. "So is there anything else you want to talk to me about? Or is that it?"

"To be honest, it'd be nice if we just made small talk for a little more, to make up for lost time. We hardly get time to just sit down and talk like we did back when we were kids." Prairie admits before her expression quickly became hard and serious. "But aside from the idle chatter you dislike so much, there was something more... 'Urgent' I like to speak to you about."

"Alright. Shoot."

"It's about the Slither Inc." Prairie explains, leaning a bit forward towards the edge. "Apparently, they've uncovered a new potential energy source during one of their excursions in the ruins beneath Area Zero. It is said to have the potential to revolutionize the world and EM technology but..."

"But you don't trust them, do you?"

Zero was met with a quiet nod from Prairie, who steadily grows silent.

"...Yeah, while the energy company is well renowned publically, I personally, think they, or rather the CEO, Serpent is hiding something dangerous."

"Serpent...Wait, wasn't he originally part of your sister's research team a few years back."

"At one time yes but as you know, sis and her team has gone missing during one of their excavations...Only Serpent came back and he had declared the rest of the team MIA, sis included. He claimed it was due to an unexpected Maverick attack."

Prairie looked as if she had a hard time speaking for when she lowered her head, her voice sounded powerless.

"The area they were investigating...were the ruins hidden beneath Area Zero."

Zero's eyes show subtle surprise but besides that, he hardly reacted.

"Wait, are you saying that all of this could be related?"

"I'm not sure exactly but...I get the feeling that Serpent is hiding something about all this, and about sis. I know he has something to do with sis's disappearance, and this new energy source, the mysterious Slither Inc that has little public information...You can't expect me believe that Serpent isn't up to something devastating."

Zero crosses his arms as he leans his back against the rails. Silently, he shows his discomfort.

"So what were you able to find out about this so far?"

Prairie remained silent and a long awkward pause came between them. Prairie looks up at the skies with regret.

"Nothing...Slither Inc has remained careful and refused to release any information about the public. I've been trying to gather information through 'unconventional' means but so far, they've been careful. Even the employees who work there and the informants gathered couldn't find anything about the company, let alone this so-called new energy source. All we know is what was released to the public and I can't trust that information."

"And Serpent?"

"He's being more secretive than his company. He hasn't made a public appearance or appointments in months and has pretty much locked himself in his company 24/7. I can't even get close to him, let alone try to get answers from him."

"It doesn't help that he has that unusually large combat Wizard army just waiting at the front door. Are you gonna use the Guardians to try and find some answers?"

Prairie only shakes her head belligerently. "I can't do that. I mean, if it was your typical homegrown world-dominating maniac than maybe but we're dealing with the head of Slither Inc. If I used the Guardians and I make even the slightest error than Serpent will gladly accuse this as an obstruction of justice and abuse of power and it'll become a great public crisis. The worst of it is that not only the Guardians will disband but the Satella Police will also be to blame and that could end up strengthening Serpents influence."

"...But that's not the only reason, is there?" Zero suggest, keenly cocking one of his brows as he glanced over at Prairie. It looked like he was reading her expression like an open book.

"The fact is, Serpent may have a connection to your missing sister and something like that could easily impair your judgement."

Zero just hits the bulls eye as Prairie lowers head, as if in defeat. The concerns and tension are raised further between the two and Prairie nods her head with a low voice.

"Yeah, you're right...If I told anyone else this, they would easily question my objectivity of the matter. Even I honestly feel like I'm doing this for sis more so than for the safety of everyone. I can only tell this of you because...I wanted to know what your input of this is."

"My input huh?" Zero raises his head up with eyes lazily gazing up at the clouds as he half-heartedly sorts out his thoughts.

"Well, while I do question your ability to make the most rational and logical decision on a daily basis, I think you're onto something here."

"R-Really?"

Prairie's mouth gapes wide open in surprise. She snaps her head and looks at Zero. Her eyes couldn't possibly be any wider.

"I don't trust that Serpent guy either. He practically reeks of that 'bad guy' aura. So you know what? I'll help you out on this one time free of charge. Of course, be ready for any insulting retorts I might have down the road and believe me, I have a lot of them."

"B-But, I haven't asked you for your help yet..."

"You were gonna ask me sooner or later so I figured I save about 50 words of back and forth dialogue."

Prairie paused, absolutely confused at Zero's 'sincerity' but after a bit, she realizes that it was just Zero being Zero and so her mouth slowly grew into an honest smile.

"...Thank you..."

With that smile, Prairie shoots to the oblivious Zero, a face that was full of feelings of gratitude. As always, she could always get on Zero when she has no one else to turn to but...

"Wait, don't you have to go to school starting tomorrow?"

"That's precisely why I'm looking into this. I got no time for school when I'm saving the world and all that..."

Prairie groans to herself. She should've guessed that was the case.

**Part 2**

A significant amount of time has passed and before everyone knew it, the day was coming to an end.

Geo and Zero had to get home before dinner before Hope yells at them again.

And so the just recently established Zero Squad, Aile included, head into the Transerver room where Zero and Geo intend to teleport back home at Echo Ridge...and hopefully not the north pole where Geo will find the truth about Santa Claus and his childish hopes and dreams become crushed.

Aile tagged along just to say good-bye to her new friends, happily trailing behind their footsteps.

"I had a lot of fun with you guys today, even though all we did was talk and practice our fighting abilities." Aile smiles towards the boys with an exuberant look in her eyes.

"Hey, I was thinking that sometimes when we're not busy, the 3 of us can go out and play sometimes. Of course, if you want to invite more people than be my guest. The more, the merrier, right?"

The boys look back and Geo with his head slightly over his shoulder, exchanges smiles with Aile.

"That sounds great. That could be a lot of fun actually. What do you think, Zero?"

When the two made eye contact, Zero had this reluctant "I don't know" kind of expression as he shrugs his shoulders.

"Well, I suppose I don't mind and I see no problem with it but...to be honest, I'm not sure if I will be able to handle a 'social get-together' with both Mega and Leviathan."

The realization than hits Geo's face as well. Zero and Omega-Xis were already at odds with one another already and with someone like Leviathan added to the picture, everything has escalated to a massive HATE triangle.

"Let's just go already…I'm so….exhausted."

With Zero's call, he and Geo jumped on the Transerver pad, waving Aile good bye before the two vanished in a flash of light.

**Part 3**

By the time they got home it was already way past dinner time. Naturally, Hope scolded the two boys whom she treats equally as she considers Zero to be her son, albeit an adopted one. Although Zero is grateful to both Hope and Kelvin Stelar for taking him in ever since he was a little boy, especially when he had no idea who he was at the time, he is currently playing music in his head as he sat through Hope's massive and possibly never ending lecture, shouting stuff like,

"When I say 7:00 I mean come home by 7:00!"

And so forth.

He thought it would never end; in fact, by the time, she finished it was already late night. Rushing through dinner and brushing their teeth, both Geo and Zero retreat to their room, which they share to such an extent that they even had a bunk bed set up for them, just underneath a nice skyline window where Zero could get a clear view of the stars.

He took top bunk after deciding it with Geo through rock-paper-scissors. He prefers sleeping at the top anyways, especially after that incident when they were 9 years old.

He won't go into the details but let's just say Geo had a habit of jumping on the bed and they had switched the top bunk bed supports with a more 'stable' variety ever since that incident.

It took a while for Zero to get over the claustrophobia he developed at that time but even so, he didn't like the idea of sleeping with a heavy bed dangling over him.

They went to sleep early and when Zero glanced over at the clock at the side, it was only 10:00. This was arguably their last night before, Zero cringes, school starts.

The next time the sun rises, they'll be going to Echo Elementary.

Crossing his arms behind his head, Zero rests his head on his pillow as he obviously was not thrilled.

"Hmm...Hey Zero?"

"Huh? What are you still doing up?"

Zero takes a glance down from his bed, noticing Geo restlessly having his eyes wide open. It looked like he couldn't sleep or something and there was something...worrying in those eyes of his.

"What's the matter?"

"Um, well, I've been...well I guess I'm a bit nervous, is all, since we'll be going to school tomorrow."

Zero raised a brow, looking a tad bit confused.

"It's going to be the same this year as it was last year and the year before that. How is this any different?"

"Well, it's not but I'm thinking that we'll be in a new classroom with a bunch of different people we've never met before. It'll be a bit nervous but at the same time, I'm a little excited that we'll be making some new friends...Oh that reminds me. Dad sent me an e-mail earlier today. He said that he hoped the two of us will go to make a lot of new friends."

Zero pulls back into his bed, stretching out his loose sleeveless shirt a bit as he wraps his head behind, tangling his fingers around his long blonde hair, which gave him a rather feminine appearance as it hanged down, no longer tied back into a ponytail.

"You dad huh? He's never around, is he? Always working up at space...It sure sounds like fun."

"He said that he'll be able to bring us up there sometime during the summer time. Doesn't that sound great?"

"Y-Yeah..."

That was all Zero had to say as he solemnly gazes at the twinkling stars that littered the night sky.

He made no retorts, no sarcastic insults and that troubled Geo who found his brooding silence to be disturbing.

"Hey Zero? Is something wrong?"

"No, not really." Zero spoke with no power in his words. "I just got a lot on my mind, that's all."

"I see..." Geo paused a bit before he resumed speaking again. "You know...we're like family right? We grew up like brothers and my mom and dad are yours too so if there's anything bothering you, you can tell us that."

Zero hardly showed any reaction. In fact, it didn't even remotely phase him.

"Yeah I know that. Even I feel like Kelvin and Hope are like my mom and dad and you are my brother, Geo but..."

The expression in his eyes remains the same but there was a glint of sadness in them. He takes a deep breath as if to try and swallow down the troubles rising up in his mind.

With great difficulty, he brought those troubles out before the full moonlight.

"...Whenever I think of you guys as my family, I began to wonder about my real family. About my real parents and any siblings I might have...but whenever I try to think about them, all I see are you guys and I ask myself the same thing over and over again. 'Why was I abandoned?' 'Why was I left on the streets, cold and alone?' Just who are my real parents...and who am I?"

Geo remained silent as he carefully ponders Zero's words. Despite their close brotherly bond, Geo felt guilty for knowing so little about Zero even after all this time. He remembered the day he met him. It was on a cold rainy day and the boy had eyes of a dead man.

Even when his mother picked the boy up like he was a frightened stray, Zero continued to show wariness and distrust. He treated them as if he was the enemy and would always keep his distance. It took a lot of time for him to finally warm up to them and become a member of the family as he is now and it took a lot of effort for both of them too.

However, that's not where the problem lies for Zero.

The problem is that no one knows who he is, not even himself. Even when they went to the Satella Police, they couldn't identify and track his real parents. Even now, when Zero searches tirelessly for answers, he is always left nothing but dead ends and he continues to remain a mystery to himself.

To Geo, it was like he was dropped into this world out of nowhere and even now, he knows nothing about him, probably because he isn't sure of who he is either.

"Zero...I can't tell you who you are exactly but to me, you'll always be Zero and together, we'll solve the riddles of your origins together. It's the least I can do for you."

"Hmm...Thank you, Geo...Really, I mean it."

"What's with you? It's weird to hear you talk all formal like. Hey, that reminds me, what were you talking about with Ms. Prairie today?"

"Oh that? Oh, we were just coming up with operations that will help us take down the corporate head of a worldwide million zenny organization who may or may not have plans for world domination."

"W-What! Wait, what does that mean!"

Suddenly, Geo's Hunter-VG began to jump up and down from his bed with lights beeping like crazy. Geo wasn't sure how but for some reason, his Hunter-VG had a massive throbbing vein.

[HEY YOU KIDS! PIPE DOWN! SOME PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SLEEP HERE!]

"S-Sorry, Mega."

Zero and Geo spoke simultaneously. They never uttered a single word after that the whole night.

**Part 4**

The next morning came before they could even blink and after getting dressed and all washed up for school, the two proceed to move to the breakfast table, where Hope had already had a modest tower of toast, and plates covered in Sunnyside up eggs and bacon waiting for them.

As they took their seat, Geo gladly dug into his well-prepared breakfast while Zero seemed content with the piece of lightly buttered toast he was nibbling on his hand.

"Hurry up, you two or you'll be late for school!"

From the kitchen counter, Hope lightly calls out to the two boys who seem to have all the time in the world.

Zero leans back on his chair with a bored sigh expressed on his face.

"I don't know why but it feels like I have more important things to do then attend school."

"Like fighting?"

Geo raised his fork pointing towards his tired-looking friend, who lazily nods his head.

"More or less…."

They didn't mind talking about this out loud before Geo's mother, since she already knows about Omega-Xis and what they do outside home. It was rather difficult keeping their Guardian duties a secret, especially from a mother they pretty much live with. Considering how they're usually out in the most opportune times and they rarely go out for social activities, how could she NOT notice what was going on?

Of course she worries about the kids, both of them since technically speaking, they were both her sons. But at the same time, she has faith, stronger than any worries she may have.

*DING DONG*

A doorbell's ring then upsets the peaceful atmosphere built up in their home.

"Who could that be?"

Geo raised his head at the door while Zero pretty much ignored it and continued eating his breakfast. It was clear who wasn't going to get that door so Geo gets up to answered.

When he walked over to answer the door, he wasn't aware of it but he is so going to wish he hadn't.

"Hello?"

Pulling the door opened, he came into contact with 3 distinct looking people, who while have nothing in common strangely fit well together.

The guy on the left looks like a short, scrawny nerdy person with glasses, brown hair fitting for his appearance. To Zero, who just appeared out of nowhere behind Geo's shoulder, he looked like the stereotypical nerd.

He completely contrasts the guy on the right, who had an overall large, gruff appearance. He looked like a tough guy and a bully with a size about 4 or 5 times of that of the scrawny looking guy. To Zero, he had an almost bull-like appearance, more or less, with the strength to eat an entire house if he could.

Then there was the person on the middle, who as a girl, had an appearance more easy on the eyes but ironically spells the most trouble for both boys. She had the air of a bossy perfectionist hanging around her with a perky smile aimed towards both boys. Her refined presence made the other two guys look like lackeys and it was obvious she was the leader of this…odd-looking trio.

"Zero Maverick, Geo Stelar. It's nice to meet you. My name is Luna Platz, the class President of Echo Ridge Elementary Class 3-D. These two here are Zack Temple and Bud Bison."

She introduces the nerdy looking boy and gruff looking one respectively. Geo and Zero just stood there, watching the three of them looking dumb with a cocked brow.

"So…."

Zero finally found the words to say.

"…What do you want?"

"I'm glad you asked. You see, as class president, I expect nothing but the best from our class and that includes making the best of our first day. For that to happen, I need to ensure that all students are present from the beginning to the end of class….So I decided to personally escort you both to school…."

A long awkward pause of silence came between all of them. It'd be a wishful thinking to believe that Zero and Geo were pondering her words carefully, for their minds were in a complete blank.

…

"You're kidding, right?"

Zero only wishes that was a joke.

With their breakfast interrupted so abruptly and having been voluntarily arrested by a group of people they just met, the two boys were obviously unhappy about the arrangements. However, Zero was even less happy about his circumstances.

"So….is this really necessary….?"

With the sounds of dangling chains, Zero lightly shakes the steel handcuffs locked on his wrists. The cuffs were then connected to a chain wrapped around Luna's, Bud's and Zack's hands as the 3 of them pretty much were dragging Zero and Geo to school through the peaceful streets of Echo Ridge.

Heads turned and all bystanders can't help but stare. Zero really did look like a criminal they way he was being pulled like this. He shoots a discontent face towards Geo which clearly beams his thoughts into Geo's eyes.

-How come you don't have to wear these handcuffs?

Geo shrugs his shoulders.

-Why are you asking me?

"I've been keeping a close eye on you, Zero"

Luna states aloud as from the very tip of her mind, she begins to recite the known facts in an orderly fashion.

"A straight-A student but with zero work ethic and a terrible attendance record. You rarely showed up in the past years, only attending to take tests and work on assignments to prevent yourself from being held back. For someone with your grades, you should be setting an example to the other students. What's more, I can't have your lackluster attendance affect the overall wellbeing of our class, so I'll personally ensure that you and Geo show up to classes every day from here on."

"Okay….but why the handcuffs?"

"If you like, I can take them off if you answer the following question."

"Okay. Shoot."

"Will you run away if I take them off?"

"Yes."

"Then no way will I take them off with that answer!"

"You should at least give me points for honesty."

**Part 5**

To his annoyance, the ponytail wearing blonde haired boy was dragged all though way to his class, with more than his fair share of peculiar stares. The handcuffs were removed not that it mattered at this point since Zero didn't had the heart to run away. If he did, he really would look like a criminal since he came in with those handcuffs on his wrists.

His skin still irritates where the handcuffs were as Zero massaged his hands lightly.

"Just where did an elementary school girl ever get her hand on stuff like this?"

He spoke not to himself but to the girl who strapped the cuffs on his wrist in the first place and who was now standing in between Geo's and Zero's desk. Beaming with pride, Luna was oblivious to the glare of annoyance and dumbfounded stare that she received on both sides.

"A girl has her sources. Anyways, welcome to Echo Elementary, as of today, we are all your friends! If you ever need anything, anything at all, don't be afraid to ask for my assistance!"

"Tch, with friends like you, who needs enemies?"

"Now, now, Zero, no need to talk like that here in school. After all, Luna's only trying to help."

Geo's attempt to calm Zero's stoic rage….failed miserably. Zero still had that annoyed face on as he crosses his arms in a huff.

"…Whatever…"

He takes a glance around the classroom and notices that for a typical morning, something seemed rather off. There was much more chatter going on around the class and their mixed chatter was filling up the place.

"Is it me or is everyone here a bit too lively?"

Geo turns his head, gazing all around the classroom until he inevitably reaches the same conclusion as Zero.

"It does seem a bit weird for everyone to be this excited on the first day of school."

"That's because everyone's talking about the latest rumours buzzing around."

The one who said that, Luna, had received mixed stares of confusion from both boys, who utter the same word simultaneously.

"Rumours? What rumours?"

"You're kidding right? You two don't know about it? Man, where have you two been, in a cave?"

_Hmm, more like an airship._

Zero thought but will never express out loud for multiple reasons.

He looks back up at Luna, with a face subtly showing his curiosity.

"So, what are these rumours exactly?"

"I'll be glad to tell you."

Proudly, Luna faces the clueless looking boy.

"It's not as much as a rumour as it is more like gossip about Echo Ridge's local heroes. I thought everyone in Echo Ridge would know who they are."

"Sorry but you lost me."

Zero exclaims to which Geo nods his head in accordance.

"Local heroes? This is the first I heard about it."

"Well, then tell me if you've heard this."

With gusto, Luna began to make unnecessarily exaggerated hand movements with a dramatic voice, fitting

"They work in the shadows, protecting us from all things viral and maverick. With blades and battlecards, the twin red and blue armoured heroes tirelessly fight an endless battle of truth and justice to ensure that we denizens of Echo Ridge can continue to live in peace. Whenever there's trouble, you can rest assured, knowing they'll come in a heartbeat to save the day."

With an unknowing grin, Luna shoots a glance at the unusually sweating and nervous boys, oblivious of their troubled looks.

"So, does it ring any bells?"

"…."

They choose to remain silent for the description she made….was disturbingly far too familiar for both boys to make the right response.

Their silence provoked an exasperated sigh from Luna.

"Hello? I'm talking about Megaman and Zero!"

*CRACK*

Just like that, the two boys turned to stone, remaining as silent like all rocks were. Although they stood in complete silence, they were in fact, secretly cursing words in their minds.

"You know, I honestly thought everyone would know about those two, since they're practically famous, especially around these parts. They're all the talk here at Echo Elementary too. Everyone's talking about them. Speaking of which. Hey, Zero!"

She looks down on the boy who was constantly drenched in downpours of sweat.

"You wouldn't happen to be the same Zero going around, saving people are you?"

"Is that a joke?"

Zero puts on a convincing act looking angry at Luna. It didn't require much to get him riled up with the current circumstances.

"First of all, Zero is a more common name than you might think and it makes a good codename too. If I were 'this Zero' then why would I use the same name for both identities? I swear, people have always been bugging me because I coincidentally have the same name as that guy. It's getting on my nerves."

"Hmm, yeah I know, I just felt like messing with you because of your name, is all. It is a bit weird on how you don't seem to have a last name."

"That's because I don't know my last name. I thought of taking Stelar as my last name since they're the ones who took me in when I was young but that just doesn't sound right."

"Hmm, I guess you're right. But still Megaman and the Megaman Zero are all everyone's talking about right now."

Zack follows up on what Luna was telling the boys as he pulls up a screen from his Hunter-VG.

"According to the data I've gathered, Megaman and Zero seems to most frequent mostly around the general tri-city area of Echo Ridge and judging from eye witness reports, their physical data suggests that the identities of the two local heroes may be someone who goes here to Echo Ridge Elementary."

"Zack's information is always dead on and that's exactly why everyone is going crazy around here. We all think that one of us here could be either Megaman or Zero if not both. Of course, I, Luna Platz, would be more than happy to extend a friendly handshake to the two heroes who work tirelessly to keep Echo Ridge a safe place against viruses and Mavericks. So boys, what do you think? Doesn't it seem exciting to think that you two are going to the same school as the Blue Bomber and Red Maverick?"

Luna directs her eyes at one, no make that two empty seats that were left wide open. Bud raises her finger up at the empty chairs with a dumb look on their face.

"They're gone…."

"W-W-W-WHAT! Where'd they go!"

**Part 6**

"Hah….Hah….Hah…Ahh this is not good…"

Zero pants heavily but that was nothing compared to what Geo had gone through. While Luna kept talking on and on, Zero had taken the opportunity to literally drag Geo out of the class and into the hallways by violently ripping on his collar. He had almost suffocated to death like that game character in those ancient 'Hangman' games.

As Geo struggles to get a breath in his throat, Zero crossed his arms all the while cursing that he didn't have time for this.

"This is bad, this is very, very bad…."

"Zero….what's the matter? Why'd you just drag us out of class like that?"

"In case, you haven't noticed we just became the local celebrities. Do you have any idea what that means?"

"Big trouble?"

"Big trouble. Missions will certainly be harder to execute with efficiency if people are aware of our true identities. And celebrity life isn't fun either. I am certainly not looking forward to being hounded every morning by flashing lights, cameras and microphones."

"It should be ok, right? As long as no one finds out that we're Megaman and Zero, then there really is nothing to worry about."

"If you keep talking like that out loud then I have PLENTY to worry about. Look we're lucky that no one has caught us doing a Wave Change yet but if we're not careful and make even the tiniest error, we're screwed."

"So what should we do then?"

"We should refrain from performing EM Wave Change around the school of all places, especially with so many people who knows us….er, the 'other' us I mean…"

*RING RING RING RING*

The Caller ID on Zero's Hunter-VG clearly says 'PRAIRIE'.

Torn between choosing to groan or jump for joy, Zero pulls out his Hunter-VG with mixed feelings and taps his fingers against the telephone shaped icon on the holo-screen. Another screen expands over the desktop and Prairie appears in the center of the camera's image and it looked like she was occupied with work on her computer.

[Zero. We just got an incoming alert of high viral activity in your general area and I want you and Geo to deal with the incoming EM Viruses.]

Zero had a hunch where this is going but he only prays to himself that he's wrong.

"Just where exactly are these EM Viruses?"

[Just about a few kilometres away on the EM Roads above Echo Ridge….why?]

"Er….No reason….Can you at least send Aile and Leviathan to help with the cleanup work."

[Of course. I was intending to give them some hands-on experience anyways.]

It was like he was made to eternal dance like a fool on the palm of god's hand. He could not believe how terrible his luck is.

Zero disconnects the call and before heading out, he sighs at the sad irony of the situation.

"Alright, Geo, it looks like we have work to do…"

"Where?"

"Where do you think? The universe obviously doesn't like me."

Elsewhere, high above the sunny skies of Echo Ridge Elementary, rampaging EM Viruses were making a mess of the Wave Roads as they steadily marched closer to the innocent students blissfully residing in the school building, unaware of what was going on over their heads.

If the EM viruses were to march further into the school, they can cause some serious havoc to the school's EM technology and reap destruction, resulting a lot of harm to a lot of innocent children.

Thankfully, 3 individuals were already en route to avert such a disaster.

A bright azure beam of light descends from the blue skies and strikes down onto the Wave Roads, where a lone female warrior stands between Echo Elementary and about 100 or so viruses. Armed with an aqua spear and blue aquatic themed armour with an appearance strikingly similar to Leviathan herself, Aile faces down the army of viruses.

"Fairy Leviathan! I'm ready to go!"

Readying her spear for the sake of combat, a familiar voice began speaking in her mind.

[So Aile, how does it feel to be on your very first mission.]

"To be honest, I'm a bit nervous and a little surprised to be doing this so soon after only a day since joining the Zero Squad."

[Well, your leader seems to be the type who seems to always attract problems to himself. I kinda feel bad for the other kid he hang with.]

"Speaking of which, where are those two? I thought they'd be here by now."

[Who knows? All I know is that we were able to make it to the party first so I suppose we should show these viruses what we're made of while we're at it!]

"Leviathan, you sound a bit TOO excited about this."

Regardless, Fairy Leviathan, or the wave-changed Aile readies her spear and charges towards the army of viruses. She strikes the edge of her spear across on the Wave Road, summoning a giant tower of water that rages across as it drives through the hordes of viruses, cleaving off a significant number from this massive army.

"Hey, Leviathan?"

Aile blocks an incoming sword wielding virus with the staff of her spear and steps back slightly as she talks to her partner.

[Are you sure now's the time for conversation?]

Aile continues to fight against the hordes of viruses alone, spinning her spear and using elegant, dancelike movements to attack, dodge, block and counter all the while deleting viruses with the bladed tip of her spear one by one.

"Maybe not but I just noticed that viruses don't normally attack in numbers this high."

[Ah, so you noticed it too? It is a bit strange to see so many viruses in one place and trying to attack Echo Elementary of all places too.]

Aile pulls her head back to dodge an incoming blade swipe, narrowly evading by a centimetre.

"You think it has something to do with Zero and Geo?"

[Probably but I think we should fight now and ask questions later.]

"Ah, you're right!"

Aile takes her spear and slashes across, slashing the cannon turret virus standing right in front of her, completely unaware of the gatling turret virus locking onto her from behind. The guns begin to light up with a bright hot light.

[Aile! Watch out! Behind you!]

"Huh?"

Aile looks over her shoulder, eyes catching a brief glimpse of the gatling turret before a thin green arc swipes across, followed by a massive explosion that blew the gatling turret apart.

"Aaaaaahhhhh!"

A cloud of dust and EM waves blew into Aile's eyes as she instinctively shields herself from the small explosion. When she found it safe to open her eyes and the cloud of smoke cleared, she immediately noticed the green-bladed sabre that stuck out and was wielded by the red armoured fighter.

"Zero!"

As Aile shouts with glee, Zero didn't waste a second and drew out his buster gun with his left hand, seemingly aiming for Aile's head.

"….!"

She froze on that spot as she unexpectedly sees her own comrade draw a gun right up to her face and watches with shock as light begins to build up in the gun's barrel.

BANG!

A single shot fired and Aile could've sworn she felt her heart stopped. She didn't feel any pain anywhere on her body and a cold sweat drops down on her cheek as she stares into Zero's cold eyes. Then her heart began beating again….it was beating again?

A loud thud then came to her ears from behind and slowly as she turns around and looked over at the ground, she saw a virus midway in deletion, slowly scattering into a dust of EM waves. A large hole was blown in the center of the viruses body.

Then she realizes just exactly what was going on.

Aile lets go of the breath she was holding for about 5 minutes and releases a heavy sigh.

"Zero….! You almost scared me to death!"

"Almost? Anyways, Aile you need to pay more attention. How many times have I told you to watch your back?"

While scolding Aile, Zero takes his Z-Sabre and stabs it over his shoulder, instantly deleting the large, hulking ogre-sized virus that tried to attack him from his blind spot. Zero didn't even avert his hardened eyes away from Aile as his blade effortlessly stabbed through the viruses head. Aile glares at Zero with exasperation.

"You never told me once!"

"I shouldn't need to tell you in the first place. Anyways, this is no time to talk so let's shut it and work."

Drawing out his Z-sabre, Zero dashes into the crowd of viruses. With a single slash of his sword, he releases a flurry of green arcs that deleted every virus in his path with a single, clean motion. At least, that's what was registered in the eyes of Aile and Leviathan, who can't help but watch the red maverick work.

[That kid Zero is as charming as always. Skilled too.]

"Not to mention a bit scary."

"Aile!"

Megaman comes onto the scene, looking a bit out of breath as he makes his way towards Aile.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine but what took you guys so long?"

"Sorry, we were trying to find a place to Wave Change without being seen."

"I see well it's good that you're here now. Oh and by the way, while wave-changed you can just call me Fairy Leviathan, or just Leviathan if that's too long."

"S-Sure, and you can just call me Megaman."

"Hey, you two! Less chit-chat! More deleting!"

Having been scolded by the sword wielding fighter who is currently swarmed by viruses, the two mobilized with hopes of not meeting the receiving end of that green, simple yet obviously dangerous sabre.

Megaman whips out a battle card and slips it into his Mega arm.

"Battle card! Predation! Katana!"

His left arm changes into a wrist mounted oriental sword with a single edge steel blade and swipes it across, drawing a white line across the area and severing any virus in range as they were deleted all at once. His speed and skill with the sword is nowhere even close to Zero's level but still, he was able to take down a healthy number of viruses.

Cleared of all viruses in range, Megaman morphs his left arm from his katana to his classic mega buster and began blasting them down one by one with green blasts, deleting the viruses as if this was a game.

Leviathan leaps high into the sky, above another cluster of viruses that looks up at the acrobatic female fighter. Only those with ranged attacks released a flurry of attacks straight into the sky. Leviathan spins her spear rapidly; blocking any and all incoming light attacks while with light manoeuvres in the air, she narrowly dodges any heavy attacks.

"You all need to cool down!"

Swinging her spear across in mid-air, she released a storm of aqua needles that literally rained down on swarms of viruses. Each individual rain needle had the sharpness and density of steel itself and while the attacks were small and light, the collective rain altogether was heavy and never-ending, tearing the data off the EM viruses in range bit by bit. The endless rain of needles continued until not even a byte of virus data remained, as if Leviathan conjured up a rain that literally washed the viruses away and off the Wave Road.

Leviathan smiles triumphantly at the now-washed section of the Wave Road, free of viruses. Now getting down from the air wasn't going to be fun for her.

Zero meanwhile was deleting viruses so fast that someone like Zack could lose count. With his right hand, he swings his sword swiftly in a controlled manner, taking down as many viruses while using as little swings with his blade as possible. His left hand was no slouch either as each shot he fired from his buster gun always deleted at least one virus. While his shots were nowhere near as powerful as even Megaman's charged mega buster, Zero fires with such precision and accuracy that he was able to hit the vital spot of every virus he fired at, deleting them effortlessly with a single shot. He had to thank his years of experience for being able to discover the weak points of viruses at all.

The 3 seemed to operate separately on a different part of the Wave Roads and platforms, taking on all the viruses in their respective sections and while their skills in battle is more than enough to take down these small-time viruses, it was also clear that as expected of such a newly established team, their teamwork has a long way to go.

However at their present level, their abilities were more than enough for the task at hand. With Megaman's versatility to adapt to any situation, Leviathan's aqua themed attacks to wash the opponents away and Zero's skills with the sword that leaves no enemy standing for more than a second, the army of viruses didn't stand a chance.

But there was something amissed through the whole fight as the same thought occurred in Megaman, Zero and Leviathan. There were far too many viruses for this to be a random virus attack and it was like they were sent here to raid Echo Elementary. Their behaviour was still the same as the average virus but the place, timing and numbers were way too….inconvenient to be considered a mere coincidence.

And then there was one. Only one virus stands between Zero and a mission complete and it was a big one. With the shape of a 4 legged savage beast with spike needle-like blue fur that a shiny steel surface, it bares his razor sharp claws and fangs at the red swordsman who wielded his sabre and looked on at the massive beast virus who was at least 5 times his size.

"It seems all the remaining viruses have fused together to make one mega virus. ….Glad our team isn't that close. Oh boy, he looks hungry."

Zero grips tightly on his Z-sabre as he fires a few waning shots at the beast, which only deflects off the beast's shiny surface without making so much as a scratch. In response, the beast makes a massive roar, gaping its bladelike fangs.

"Tch, that's some thick skin…time to carve this beast."

Readying his Z-sabre, Zero dashes forward, shooting his body like a bullet as he drags his sword through the empty air. As he runs fiercely head-on against his foe, the beast opens its hollow mouth and Zero looked straight into that deep, black shadow where a dim orange spark lit in the center….A spark?

"Oh no…"

Zero watched as a bright red/orange light begins to build up in the beast's mouth and even from where he was, he could feel an intense heat come off from the orange ball of light building in its massive jaw. He sense something big was coming his way, something big enough to reduce him to a smouldering pile of ash. Regardless, he didn't even slow down, let alone turn back from what he's facing. Instead, he only sped up his pace even further. Yes, he was that crazy!

The light in the beast's mouth reached its pinnacle until finally, he released the light all at once in the form of a massive fireball that was twice the size of Zero and it scorched all in its path. Even the air surrounding it was burning up as it flew straight towards Zero.

"Alright, partner! Its now or never!"

He face the ball of fire head on with his legs kicked to full throttle and at the last possible instant, he kicks down with his feet and slides underneath the radiating fire ball, slipping right past the scorching heat with only a few burn marks on the edges of his helmet.

He continues sliding across the Wave Road with his feet kicked forward, eventually slipping past the beast virus' defenses as he slides through its under belly, carefully stabbing his sword into its stomach and running the blade right through its body as Zero continues to flow with the momentum. Zero had guessed that amidst the viruses thick armour, there had to be a weakness in the form of its joints or its under belly. Naturally, he chose the latter since he was already sliding beneath the monster, who is in the midst of having a sword split its body in half right through the middle.

Zero exits from behind the beast and at the same time, his Z-sabre rips out of its bulky stature. Basking in his silent victory, Zero swipes his sword to the left and right as if trying to wipe away any remains of the enemy left on his sword. He disengages the blade and sheathes the hilt away at his side; at that same moment, his foe drops to the ground in two equal halves.

Without having to even look back, Zero knew that it was over and as always, he didn't feel like celebrating in this win since it was all just part of the job.

"Mission complete…."

"Hmhmhmhmhmhm…Indeed…"

"Huh?"

A strange bone-chilling dark voice came into his ear. He thought he must've imagined it….Yeah, he must've imagined it for there was no one around him except for Megaman coming to him in haste. Megaman looked panicked and Zero could see his stress clearly past his visor.

"Zero!"

"Hmm? What is it?"

"We got big trouble! School starts in 5 minutes! We better hurry!"

"Huh? Oh yeah, let's go."

"….? Zero, is something wrong? You usually complain when it comes to school."

"Oh well I suppose this morning exercise kinda cheered me up a little. Anyways, where'd Aile go?"

"Oh! She went back to the base as soon as you took down that last virus but that doesn't matter now! We need to go!"

"Yeah, yeah, you go on ahead…."

Megaman did just that as he zips away on the Wave Road, racing to school as fast as he could. Meanwhile, Zero stood there alone with his mind deep in thought; Zero had a concern that laid heavy on their mind.

"For a second, I thought someone was there. Watching us but it seems he's gone now."

It was strange but the very instant he heard that voice speak into his ear, he felt something powerful. It was silent but at the same time overwhelming and he almost choked on this feeling. How could he describe this? It was a killing intent, a pure killing intent directed straight at him. It was something you can't sense from simple viruses or even mavericks, this was on a whole other level. It was gone now but that cautious feeling still hangs on his shoulders. It wasn't something he could forget easily, quite the opposite actually.

"Well, whatever, I suppose we should head back…."

He takes a few steps forward towards the school and continues to head to Echo Elementary with the awkward feeling that he was being watched.

And he was right to feel that way for waiting in the shadows, a dark figure lets out a wide grin as it stands above an unsuspecting crimson armoured swordsman.

"Ah yes….I've found you…"


	4. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3: Playing with Fire**_

**Part 1**

"Biometal? Do you mean 'Living metal'?"

[Yes. It seems that's what Slither Inc…Or rather Serpent is currently researching in.]

"I see….and?"

[That's all I can find. That's what all I've gathered after extracting current intel from the Slither Inc. mainframe. The rest of the files are still encrypted so it'll be a while before I can decrypt them.]

"….There's something else, isn't there? Something you're not telling me."

[…..I can't hide it from you after all, it seems. Biometals….I've seen brief mentions of them in Sis' notes but I have yet to make sense of any of them to allow me to make a connection between the two. Sis always did like making her notes unreadable to anyone but her. It'll take a while for even me to figure them out.]

"….."

[I know what you're thinking. I don't have any hard proof but I just know. I know that there might be a connection between Sis' notes and this Serpent's research. Figuring it out could explain what happened to my sister. That's what my gut is telling me.]

"…..Sometimes, our guts are the only things we can believe in, if nothing else. If that's how you feel, Prairie, I suggest you follow it through."

[….Thanks, Zero. So how are things on your end?]

"Hopelessly dull. The biggest thing that happened was that virus attack the other day. It's been a week since and nothing's happened."

[Well, it puts me at ease, knowing that you're staying out of trouble. Things have been quiet on this side too….Well at the very least, it's nothing that demands your immediate attention. You should stay in school for a while, if you have nothing else to do. I'll let you know if anything happens from here on.]

"….Yeah, better hurry."

Zero taps the End Call panel of his Hunter-VG's holoscreen, effectively cutting his call from Prairie. It had been a week since that virus attack and judging from the look of boredom on his face, it seems nothing has happened since then. He can't really call it peaceful times, it was more like the calm before the storm. Each calm day before then seems to only get him more agitated than before.

Even relaxing the day away, lying on the grassy fields of Vista Point was having a less effective soothing treatment than he would've wanted. On days where he would have absolutely nothing to do, he would go up to Vista Point and just take a nap on the grass with the blue sky as his blanket. Geo would come with him to stargaze but today, he decided a nap all by himself was just what he needed.

Of course, he wasn't really alone. As long as he has his Hunter-VG laying next to him, there's no way he could be alone. A calm voice began to speak out of the bleeping Hunter-VG.

Zero seemed more worked up than usual, even when he's taking a nap on the grass.

Zero sighs heavily as he presses his head further down into the grass.

Of course there was something bothering him. It's that on days where he tries to get some well-deserved rest from all of his battles like today, something exactly like this would happen.

"THERE YOU ARE!"

"…."

Zero had his eyes shut, not wanting to see the person who shouted with that loud, irritating voice. It was more than familiar, as it was constantly screaming in his ear for the past week now. They met on the first day of school and they've been hassling him ever since. If it were viruses or mavericks, he'd cut them down without a blink of an eye. Unfortunately, this threat was much, much worse.

"You're a hard man to find, you know?"

The threat was called Luna Platz and her two friends. Zero keep his eyes shut tight, not wanting to see the Prez's confident face as she stands before Zero, with Bud and Zack at her side.

It's been like this every day! School, Vista Point, even his own house, they would pester him constantly, giving the 'Let's hang out!' and 'Deepen our friendship!' nonsense and annoying him until he finally caves in. He had hoped that on a day off from school, they'd cut him some slack. But they were like his shadow.

His patience was thinning…..about 4 days ago now. If his patience had a physical form, it'd be a torn piece of thread by now. Zero clenches his teeth as the words hissed out.

"…What do you want?"

The one to respond to him was the shortest of the trio, Zack, who adjusts his glasses as well as a darting glare towards the dismissive boy.

"Hmph, we've tried being friendly with him and he still talks to the Prez like that."

"Now, now Zack. You should know by now that Zero is just shy."

Luna calms her agitated flunkie with a wave of her hand. She turns her attention back to the boy laying on the grass. She was quick to notice his sharp glare as well as the twitching brow.

"It seems you have something you want to say to me. It's okay, you can tell me. What's on your mind? Tell me all about it."

"Go home."

His quick words lit a short fuse within Luna's larger companion, Bud, whose fists and skull wouldn't stop trembling with fury.

"Why you…..!"

"…."

Zero ignores the mad bull boy who wanted to charge at him and instead looks up at the unusually smiling Luna Platz.

"Tch, haven't you bugged me enough for one day. Geez, you harassed me to the point where it should be considered a crime. Get Geo to play with you kids!"

"Oh don't worry, he's coming too. Right after we capture you, we're gonna hunt him down next."

"If you phrase it like that, you can't really blame us if we run away. More importantly, what do you need to show us now? Actually, scratch that, why should I even go with you at all!"

"Because we're friends, obviously."

"Who decided that! Anyways, I'm not going. You can drag Geo along for all I care but count me out. This is the only day I get a break from you people."

Luna's brow furrows a bit frustrated as she watched the boy collapse back into the grass. Of course, she completely expected him to dismiss her offer to spend the day with them, having fun with friends like most people would on such a clear day.

That's why she had a backup plan….And that was…..

"Alright, let's go, Zero!"

…..tugging on his ponytail….hard.

"OwOwOwOwOw, are you out of your mind! What kind of person would pull on somebody's hair just to hang out with them!"

Even Bud and Zack were feeling the physical pain as the cringed at the sight of their beloved Prez dragging the poor, poor boy through the grass, literally by a hair. Zero was doing all he could to keep it from being ripped off his head in the most painful way possible.

"Your hair is way too long for a guy anyways. You should cut this ponytail off if it's bothering you so much!"

"You're the LAST person I want telling me about what it means to have a good haircut!"

Zero realized the fumble in his words too later, as with a vein protruding on her head, Luna only ripped harder on Zero's hair.

"What's that! You got a problem with my hair!"

"NO! I have a problem with YOU! Ack! OwOwOwOwOw, STOP PULLING ALREADY! YOU'RE GONNA TEAR IT OFF!"

**Part 2**

"You….are…brutal….!"

Zero gently rubs the base of his ponytail, which were barely hanging off the tip of its roots. It felt like not just his hair but a portion of his head would've been ripped off in the worst way possible.

So in the end, he got dragged into whatever Luna has planned for him and Geo. Speaking of which, Geo came along too and after seeing the painful state Zero was in, he quickly complied without making much of a fuss.

For the day, they ended up going to Time Square, a popular shopping district amongst the locals, well known for all the high-end stores and their brand-name merchandise. As expected on a quiet day like this, it was overflowing with people, all laughing and having fun. Of course, being the unsociable types, Geo and Zero felt like they were taking a step on an entirely new world.

Zero narrowed his eyes towards Luna, still obviously ticked at the harsh treatment she's given him earlier.

"Please tell me you didn't drag us here to carry your bags while you buy this entire place out."

"Actually, I already bought all I needed from this place the other day. But I thought this would be a good chance to show you two around here."

"…."

Zero was far too tired to even say anything back to her. If it was going to be a simple tour then he should be able to endure it. Geo seems enthusiastic about the idea as he steps on ahead while patting Zero on the shoulder.

"This could be fun. There's actually a few electronics store I want to check out for a bit and this seems as a good a time as any."

"Geo….!"

Upon seeing Geo's enthusiasm, Zero couldn't possibly fight back against it. His only ally has turned to the Pres side and clearly outnumbered, he drops his shoulders and sighs.

"….Alright, fine. Let's just….get this over with already."

Saying that wasn't easy for Zero. His face was a light pink and he turns away as he embarrassingly caves in to the overall atmosphere of the group. Everyone around him had a fun smile. It was a more than a simple teasing smile, Luna and the others, especially Geo, had at least some goodwill on the faces they had.

And so the little shopping tour began. The first stop was a fancy clothing and accessory boutique.

Luna dragged Geo by the arm all around the store while Zero and the other boys just sat back and watch them go all over the place. Bud and Zack were brimming with envy while Zero was more worried that the fragile Geo was going to break under her pressure.

"Hey, Geo, Zero! Since I'm going through the trouble of showing you two around, how about you two buy me this nice bag as a gift?"

Geo's jaw almost dropped to the ground while Zero's blood turned to ice when they saw the price tag, and responded respectively.

"Wha-? But Prez-!"

"That price is WAY too high! You think a couple of kids can afford even a button off that thing?"

Luna giggles slightly as she grins at the boys.

"Tee hee, I'm just kidding you two! No need to get so serious…unless, you do want to buy it for me."

"No thank you./No way!"

Geo and Zero answered respectively. Never before had they seen so many 0's on a price tag.

Next was a small pet store.

While Zack was having a…. 'conversation' with a green-feather parrot and while Bud was having what seemed like a staring contest with a pit bull dog, mirroring each other's faces, Geo was playing with a small puppy in it's little play pen. Geo extends his hand out and the puppy would start licking its fingers, which would tickle him lightly and make him laugh a little. With the store clerks permission, Geo picks the puppy dog up by scooping his hand underneath its belly and bringing its face up close to his.

A few seconds after staring into each other's eyes, the puppy would start to affectionately lick his face, causing Geo to laugh as his face was getting covered in dog saliva.

"Hahaha! H-Hey! Stop that! It tickles! Hahahaha!"

Geo looked like he was having a fun time. That's what it seems like in Zero's eyes anyways as he watches from a safe distance. Seeing Geo brought a smile to his face but he was a bit envious of him too.

"You know, if you want to play with some of the pets here, then go right ahead. I don't think the store clerk would mind."

He wasn't aware of Luna standing beside him until she had spoken to him. As if he was read like an opened book, Zero turns away and hides his expression from Luna with a stubborn face, which only prompts a risen brown on the girl's expression.

"Tch, as tempting as it sounds, I'm not very well liked when it comes to animals…."

He said that, only to suddenly hear a light 'Mew' come from under him. Slight confusion was on both Zero's and Luna's expression until they looked down at their feet. There was a petite white kitten affectionately snuggling up at Zero's feet. Upon feeling his gaze, the kitten looked up at Zero with its cute emerald cat eyes.

"Mew."

Luna looked like she had fallen in love with the cat, as her eyes became heart-shaped.

"Aw, how cute. I think she likes you."

"Yeah, that's what it seems like. Aw, how troublesome."

Zero scoops the cat up from under her belly and raises it up close to his face. He finds himself in an intense staring contest with the cat, who only seems to keep looking at him with no resistance whatsoever.

"You sure have some weird tastes, kitty."

Zero was completely taken aback when the cat suddenly licks the tip of his nose.

"W-What the….?"

Before he could react to anything else, the kitten jumped out of his hands and climbed up to the top of his head.

"Hey! What are you-? C-Come on, stop that!"

Despite his words, his standoffish sudden words were mixed with light chuckles and laughter. He was actually laughing. Even though he looked somewhat irritated at the cat turning his blonde hair into a bed to nap on, his eyes shine with an exuberance you could only find in someone who is enjoying himself.

At least, that's how Luna saw it anyways. Either way, seeing the kitten suddenly nap on his head was rather adorable.

The group then made their next stop at a video arcade, where Geo, Bud and Zack found themselves in the middle of a large steel walled room swinging massive bright coloured mallets against all the various floating projectiles shaped like viruses in the room. Everything in that room, aside from the players, were made up of Material Waves. Material Waves are essentially just radio waves taken in by the Hunter-VG's and converted into materials that can actually be touched by a person.

Right now, Geo and the others were using the 'Hammer' Material Waves to play this 3-dimensional game of Whack-A-Virus.

Their lively shouts can be heard from the spectator lines where Zero just sits back on a rail and watch the other kids have fun in their game. While he didn't smile, you could see in his eyes that he was enjoying this. Probably because right now, those 3 were getting swarmed by viruses.

"Aahh! Geo, get all of them!"

"Wah! There's too many! I can't take them all by myself, Bud!"

"A-Alright then, change formation! Let's go back to back!"

"What about me? I'm playing too!"

"Ah, almost forgot you were there. Alright, Zack! You go low! Geo, back me up!"

"Why do I have to go low! Is it because I'm short! It is, isn't it?"

They won't be racking many points at this rate. Zero lets out a tired yawn as he stretches out his back, exhausted. Watching them play….was staring to get tiring.

A hand outstretches towards Zero. Wrapped around the fingers was a cold frosty can of mango tea. Zero raised his head up slightly, to see who the hand belonged to. It was Luna and in her other hand, was a can of 100% apple juice.

"Ah, thanks."

Zero gratefully accepts the drink and it passes from Luna's hand to his. He may be rude but he's not so ungrateful that he couldn't even say 'thank you' when someone gives him something.

"If you're that bored, why don't you play with them?"

Luna takes the spot next to Zero and leans against the railing with him. She takes a sip from her can of apple juice as she curiously looks at the boy, who was casually sipping his tea while watching the boys play.

"I'm….not that into video games sadly. I don't think I'd stand a chance with them."

He answers once his lips part with the edge of his can.

A long while passed between them and neither of them exchanged any words. While it is natural for Zero to remain silent, it certainly was strange for Luna of all people to have nothing to say.

Then the sound of a calm voice breaks the silence between them, but it wasn't Luna.

"By the way….Uh, 'Prez'? Can I ask you something?"

Luna was a bit surprised that Zero was….actually talking and addressing her too. The end must be near. Breathless, she says,

"Y-Yeah, sure what is it?"

"Umm….Well, how do I put this…? ….Why are you doing all this?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean, going through all the trouble of getting Geo and I to do all this with you people. My hair sure is paying the price for it but why all the effort? Are you that bothered by my lousy attendance record, you need to keep tabs on both of us every day?"

"Hmm, why you ask? That's a good question…"

Luna enters a deep thinking state, tapping her finger on her cheek while trying to find the right words to respond with. Then, she faces Zero with a smile.

"Well, I suppose your bad attendance was part of it but the main reason I'm going through all this is because….I want you guys to be friends with us."

"F-Friends? With you?"

Zero didn't expect that answer, he didn't expect such a nice answer at all. And the tone he spoke in wasn't in offense, but surprise.

Luna simply looks up at the ceiling while kicking her feet back and forth.

"Well yeah, it's hard to explain but…when I first saw you guys, I thought you were people who needed a friend or two….besides each other I mean."

"…"

"You and Geo are close but one friend in this massive world isn't going to cut it. You need to make as many friends while you still can. Believe me, everyone in this world needs friends they can count on. That's what BrotherBands and Link Powers are for. It connects all of us. That's why I'd like to make the 3 of us the first of many friends you two are going to make in your life."

"…..Luna….You…."

"Huh? What's this? Did you just call me by my name?"

Luna shoots a sneaky smile at the flustered Zero. He clenches his teeth hard as he steps away from Luna, turning away to hide his embarrassment.

"Y-You misheard, that's all!"

"I don't know, I'm pretty sure you said 'Luna….' Just like that. Aw, did my words have some profound impact on you?"

"Idiot, it's not like that at all!"

Luna giggles to herself. Somehow, she finds poking Zero's buttons in the right place to be just too much fun.

"Hee hee, you're not at all honest, are you? You're easily misunderstood too."

"W-What are you talking about?"

"I mean, one look at you and people can say, you have a mean mouth and a bad attitude. Oh and your eyes can be a bit scary too."

"Are you trying to pick a fight!"

All his embarrassment turns into pure, burning rage. Luna just shrugs it off with her shoulders like it was nothing special. It was Zero after all.

"C'mon, why don't you just admit that underneath that cold exterior, you really are a nice guy who cares for his friends?"

"I don't know what you're talking about….! That's it, I'm outta here!"

Brow twitching like a madman, Zero storms off, stomping his feet down like he has a grudge against the floor. He aims his body straight for the exit.

"I'll be waiting outside until you guys are done!"

And like that, he was gone. Luna was left, only to sigh at the boy's hopelessness. It was interesting to note that rather than leave indefinitely, he clearly announces his intentions to wait until the others finish their game, so that they can do something else later.

"Yep, not honest at all."

**Part 3**

"Argh, what is with these people? It's like their experts on messing with people's heads."

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Zero finishes off the last of his tea drink, before tossing it straight into one of the nearby recycling stations, standing several meters away from where he was.

He stands alone in an open air plaza just a few steps away from the video arcade. He takes in some of the clean air while lounging back against the rails. He can't help but stare at the sky with a blank expression in his eyes.

He preferred being alone, because its peaceful and he doesn't have anyone to nag into his ear on a daily basis.

…..He doesn't have to worry about losing anything either.

"…."

His expressions much more quiet and sombre the moment the thought crossed his mind.

In the beginning, he thought he was fortunate. Having nothing was better than having something than losing it in the end. That's what he had told himself. But now that he has people in his life, he was always dealing with the fear in his heart, that he would one day lose everything.

Why he always felt like that? He can't explain it.

And no matter how much he convinces himself otherwise, those lingering fears wouldn't go away.

_I thought you were people who needed a friend or two…._

He couldn't forget those words and the words that came after it. But at the same time, he couldn't accept them either.

"Geo maybe….but me….? There's no room for friends in the world I live in."

For some reason, he can never see himself going a day without wave-changing with Zero and wielding his trusty Z-sabre. No, even without wave-changing into Zero, he would still end up fighting somehow. Always fighting. Was the fighter the only role he can play? Or is it that without it, he'd be nothing at all?

"Damnit…."

He swore under his breath while shutting his eyes tight. He felt his mind was being cluttered with so many unnecessary things. In battle, he can be focused and cool, only concerned about the task at hand. But everywhere else, so many thoughts fill his mind, he feels that his brain could burst. Maybe the only place he feels safe….is on the battlefield.

But even with his mind clouded with distracting thoughts, he is still unable to completely miss the pair of eyes that have been latched onto him for days now.

"What? You got tired of playing games with the kids."

"…."

In a flash of green light, Omega-Xis appears right before Zero, looking rather peeved that Zero could draw him out of hiding so easily, like he had a nose sharper than any dogs.

"It's funny how you don't look all that smart but you can be so perceptive, it's scary."

"Right back at you, so what brings you here? Got tired of Geo?"

"Well, you really don't expect me to just lay around in the kid's Hunter-VG while he's off playing games do you? Anyways, I thought it'd be fun to sneak up on you and perhaps give you a little scare….It doesn't seem I'm the only one who thinks so."

"Yeah, it looks like he's still following us ever since this morning…."

He speaks in a low voice so that no one would hear them talk, especially their unknown stalker.

"You think it's the same presence spying on us that one time during the virus attack?"

"No, this one feels different. Not like before but I can't say our watcher in the dark is human either."

"An EM being you might know then?"

"An EM being sounds likely, but whether I know them or not, I guess I'll found out myself."

"Alright, just be careful."

"Who are you talking to?"

Zero chuckles lightly at the remark.

"I meant on our mystery watcher. We can't get anywhere if you just tear him to bits before we get any answers."

"Yeah, yeah …."

Omega-Xis disappears into a thin stream of green light and it began to zip through the air at literally light speed. Zero watches from the ground as Omega-Xis, in condensed wave form, moves to intercept the unknown follower.

Knowing that Omega-Xis was on the job, Zero seriously has nothing to worry about.

"I'm more worried about what's going to happen to the other guy."

"Zero…."

"…..!"

An unfamiliar but soft voice reached out to him. He was caught off guard by its serene tone. Breaking away from the azure sky, he noticed a beautiful girl standing right before him. She has a delicate and petite stature but her age seems to be about the same as the speechless boy.

Her long brown hair looked soft and silk but it was the light green butterfly shaped hairclips that she had on both sides of her head that captured his attention. She wore a simple long sleeved lilac dress whose style seems influenced by Victorian era clothing that expresses her modesty. The rest of her wardrobe consists of long dark boots.

She had a cute face but a quiet, if not completely silent, expression. But what drew Zero's attention the most were her eyes. They were beautiful, beautiful enough to make anyone fall in love but it was the alluring mystery he sensed from them that had Zero's focus. She looked like a quiet, gentle girl in just about anyone's eyes.

But to Zero, there was something else.

Her eyes were blank, he couldn't read them. Almost like she didn't have a soul in them. If he can sense anything, it was an empty sadness and what could be a cry for help. Help? Help for what exactly?

She looked like she wanted to reach out to him, but something kept stopping her from doing it.

So, the boy decided to reach out to her first.

"Um….who are you….and why do you know my name?"

"…..My name is Iris. I have been searching for you."

"Okay, not that I mind being sought after pretty girls or anything but I have to ask….why? What do you want from me?"

"Please, you have to stop him. You're the only one who can stop him."

"Stop 'him'? Who's 'him'? Who is this person you're talking about?"

"….'He' is the one whose hatred of the world will destroy us all. If his ambitions come to life, then any future for us will cease to exist. You, Zero, are the only one who can stop his plans. Only you."

Something about Iris had Zero's blood turn into ice. It wasn't her cryptic words of a possible doomsday that scared him but rather, it was what Iris said to him at the very end that left him intrigued.

"Iris….Just who are you? ….Or rather, should I ask what do you know about me?"

Rather than answer his questions, Iris simply left him further in the darkness with these last words.

"Beware the Model W….Beware Lord Wily…"

"…..! Wily….!"

Wily….Hearing that name come from her lips was like finally finding a key to his unknown past. Finally, it felt like Zero was taking a first step forward at where he is supposed to go. He couldn't contain his surprise before the girl any longer. This girl, Iris, could be the person he's looking for.

"Iris…! Please! I need to know! What do you know about m-!"

"Hey, Zero! Sorry to keep you waiting!"

Geo's voice completely startles the unusually frantic boy, just when he felt he was about to get answers.

Taking his eyes off Iris for only a moment, Zero turns his head to notice Geo and his friends coming out of the arcade, with generally high spirits. Geo runs up to him with the rest of the group not that far behind him.

"You guys…."

Zero murmured lightly to himself before calmly turning back to Iris

She was gone. No, it was more like she wasn't here to begin with.

"What the-? How…?"

Silently releasing those words, Zero was in shock. His heart felt heavy, knowing that the one person with the answers he needed was gone.

Was she even there to begin with? Or did Zero just imagine the whole thing? It couldn't be, because it was far too real and specific to ever consider it a 'dream' or a 'hallucination'. What he saw…What he experienced was real.

"Hey, so this is where you were? I was afraid you ran off on us when you had the chance."

Geo pats his friend on the back, who hardly made any real response back, just only a small "Y-Yeah…"

Geo noticed his face and realized it was an expression Zero almost never had ever in the many years that he's known him.

"You okay? You look really pale…"

"I-I'm fine. I'm just still a little dizzy from all those lights in the arcade I guess."

They didn't need to know, especially Geo. This was a personal matter of his and he saw no reason to involve anyone else.

It settles his heart, knowing that his fated encounter with Iris brought him closer to the truth.

He was confident that he and Iris will meet again one day.

But for now….

"Alright you two! Dizzy or not, let's get going! We still have half the entire place left to explore."

He'll just have to endure this, smiling through his teeth just a while longer.

Luna grips tight on both boys arms and began to rampage through Time Square with the two crying boys in tow. Upon realizing that the Prez's grip was like that of an iron giant, Zero and Geo fear greatly that if they don't keep up, their arm will be torn right off their shoulders, giving them to more to cry about.

Meanwhile, someone was not liking all the attention the Prez was giving to the two new boys.

"Hmph. Why is the Prez giving the two new guys so much attention? She never brought us all over town in one big week-long tour."

"Huh?"

Adjusting his glasses slightly, Zack shoots an estranged look at his larger friend, Bud, whose eyebrows became bent at unpleasing angle. Grumbling to himself, Bud crosses his arms while glaring at the two boys being pulled by the Prez.

"The Prez never put this much effort into making friends with us. We've even established a BrotherBand with her the next day."

"A very remarkable observation….well for you anyways, but you do have a point."

Zack calmly assesses the two boys from where he stood. A small gleam reflects on the surface of his thick glasses.

"Now that I think about it, we never really put up much resistance as them. This is the first I've ever seen Prez work so hard just to get along with someone. At this rate, I can say that give it a month, she'll be able to establish a BrotherBand with both Zero and Geo. I give it only a week for Geo though."

"A MONTH! What else does she need to do? Give them a trip around the world!"

"Hmm, unlikely but never mind that, Bud. My concern lies with you. You seem bothered and a bit irritated every time we get Zero and Geo roped into one of the Prez's schemes."

"W-WHAT! What are you talking about! Zack! I am NOT JEALOUS of how much attention Prez is giving those two tiny little pipsqueaks!"

"….I-I never said you were jealous!"

"Well, I'm not! Alright! I am definitely not jealous of those two whatsoever!"

"O-Okay then…."

After their little 'talk', Bud and Zack proceeded to follow to keep moving and follow their Prez, who was currently occupied with the two boys literally in her grasp.

Finally, she released them from her grasp and began to move at a much more reasonable pace. While they followed their insanely bossy leader, Zero stuffs his hands in his jacket pockets, all the while cursing in his mind.

"I don't get what's with you, it's not like the stores are going anywhere."

While walking, Geo moves closer to Zero and leans closer to one side. Cupping his hand around his mouth, he whispers quietly into Zero's ear.

(Hey….! Zero, have you seen Omega-Xis anywhere? I noticed he wasn't in my Hunter-VG for a while now.)

Zero's face slightly contorts in pain. An uncomfortable sweat drop crawled down his face.

(….Yeah, about him….)

**Part 4**

"You're not getting anywhere, Taurus!"

Omega-Xis wastes not even a second to slash his claws across, during an arc with his fingers. His enemy dashes backward, with only a small nick made on it shoulders.

His enemy was just like Omega-Xis, an FM-ian of similar shape and size but it was more bull-shaped. It looked like a lightly red armoured bull or a cow with most of its animal-like body made up of an orange glowing energy , hence the name Omega-Xis called him, Taurus.

While it technically didn't have a very visible mouth, Taurus was gritting its teeth tightly.

"Hmph, it seems your time here on Earth didn't dull your senses."

Omega-Xis takes a battle stance and readies his claws and fangs, setting them to kill.

"Can't say the same for you. It looks like you've been packing on a few pounds since we last met. Now talk, what are you doing here on Earth? Why aren't you back at Planet FM?"

"You really think I'd tell you everything I know just by asking nicely?"

"No….but it was worth a shot."

With a slash of his claws, Omega-Xis fires a light green crescent arc towards Taurus, which moved at such speed that Taurus didn't have time to think. He takes the full force of the blast but his instincts propelled his arms high and he blocked the attack before it can strike a vital point in his body.

Zero rushes him, swinging his claws twice in quick succession. As always, he was too ferocious for Taurus to keep up. All he could do against him was block each strike and slash Omega-Xis unleashed.

"What do you want with us? Just why are you following those kids around? Did the King put you up to this?"

"If you're so desperate to know, I'm here on orders by my master to take out those two brats, along with anyone who may hinder his plans."

"Master….? Don't you mean 'King'?"

Taurus lets out a roar as he pushes back Omega-Xis with all of his might. As Omega-Xis swerves back, Taurus fires 3 fire balls from it's mouth, each aimed at a critical point on Omega-Xis' body. A hit from at least one of them could prove disastrous, so keeping a calm mind was absolutely crucial.

Shooting at glances at all 3, Omega-Xis lets his instincts run wild and take over.

He swerves to the left then to the right, letting the first two pass right by him with only the skinning the surface of his arms. The third fireball was coming right at him and there was no room to dodge, so he'll-

-Rip!

His claws cuts into the ball of fire, quelling the flames in one slash.

During that moment, something didn't felt right with Omega-Xis. Something was wrong. He couldn't put it into words but something about his opponent troubled him.

"Are you….Taurus?"

"Hmm, what kind of question is that? That's like asking if I'm a cow."

Omega-Xis' glowing claws was emanating his thoughts.

"You certainly look like Taurus. You talk like Taurus and you even fight like him. No matter how much I think about it, my mind is certain that you are Taurus….but my sword feels different. For some reason, my sword can't remember you. Even though we clashed so many times, my sword can't seem to recognize you. So I'll ask again…Are you really Taurus?"

"What's with you, Omega-Xis? You always say stuff that I can't understand, it hurts my head. Ah, I can't answer when it sounds like you're speaking another language. Aw forget it, I'm tired of all this talking. Let's just fight!"

Taurus inhales a huge breath and without warning, spews a thin stream of fire which quickly grows into a massive blaze. It was a very Taurus-like move, something that Omega-Xis easily predicted. But that didn't ease his suspicions.

Omega-Xis easily closed in while manoeuvring through the hot flames. He was reckless and bold, moving without even the slightest change in expression as he confront the flames head on, ignoring the small burns inflicted by the scarce flames.

It didn't take him long to cover the distance between them. Almost less than a second.

As soon as Taurus' raging flames were quelled on his own accord, Taurus' own hot-blooded body froze up like ice as sharp green claws hovers just a few inches next to his head. The low humming and vibration coming from the laser claws slightly intimidates him.

"I always was the better fighter than you…."

Omega-Xis' last words before Taurus were suddenly hit head on with a point blank blast from the edge of Omega-Xis' claws.

An explosion erupts from the sky and a red silhouette flies out from the cloud of smoke, his entire body covered in scrapes, burns and cuts.

He was no match. Taurus was no match against his opponent. Back then, and even now, Taurus couldn't defeat him. At least, not alone.

"Tch, what should I do? At this rate, he'll-!"

While hastily trying to come up with a plan, Omega-Xis calmly emerges from the smoke, without so much as a scratch on his blue armor.

"Give it up, Taurus! I'd rather not cut down a fellow FM-ian. I just got a few more questions to ask you and after that you can just walk away, knowing that I've kicked your ass yet again."

"Hmph, you're in no position to threaten anyone, not when the fight is just getting started!"

As the two hover in the air, Taurus takes advantage of Omega-Xis' momentary pause to scan the entire area. Where is it? Where is it? The thoughts kept racing through his mind as his eyes frantically searched the entire place, shifting glances between groups of people in order to find 'that person'.

He didn't know who he was looking for yet for the person he's looking for is just about anyone with a compatible wavelength to his. He didn't care who the person is, just that he needs to be able to Wave Change if he were to defeat Omega-Xis and get him out of his way.

He searches feverishly and when his field of vision centers the group of kids he's been tailing, it felt like he hit the Jackpot.

Found you!

His first thought when he found the person with a compatible wavelength, in the form of a large, gruff looking child.

Focusing his sights on him alone, Taurus moves with an explosion of light speed, firing its body like a laser.

"What the-?"

Omega-Xis was befuddled at Taurus' sudden retreat. The very next instant, he caught onto Taurus' plan the moment he realized that he was heading straight towards Zero and the others.

"Oh no, don't tell me-!"

Omega-Xis makes haste and chases after Taurus at the similar light speed. As his trail of light attempts to overcome Taurus', he fears that his split second pause may have added a lot of unnecessary complications to the situation.

**Part 5**

"Hey, you two! Hurry up, what's taking you?"

Cupping her hands around her mouth, she hollers the two boys who have just came out of the bathroom. In truth, only Geo needed to go to the bathroom, Zero just needed an excuse to get away from all of them.

Upon seeing the trio, waiting patiently at the scarce open air plaza, Zero drops his shoulders while sighing,

"I swear, where do these people get all this energy from?"

"I guess…it just comes naturally to them?"

"Well, it's giving me a headache….And hey, have you noticed that the big guy keeps staring at us every so often?"

"Hmm, really? I haven't noticed….Has he?"

"Geez, you're so dense. But seriously, how can you not sense the hostility coming from that guy?"

While talking, Geo and Zero were suddenly interrupted by Zero's sixth sense. Rather, he can detect danger coming in fast. It was more a natural instinct than a sixth sense or anything like that, having been developed through so many years of fighting.

"Heads up kid! We got trouble coming our way! Fast!"

Putting on his visualizer, Geo looks up at the sky, and began scanning the entire area.

"What is it? Viruses? Mavericks!"

"Don't know, but I can sense Omega-Xis coming in fast with it! Just like him to drag trouble along everywhere he goes."

Yeah, well that's the thing about trouble. It's like gum under your shoe.

The sight of two boys searching the skies for nothing in particular would make them look crazy in the eyes of normal people. Luna was no exception.

"What are they doing just standing there? Don't they realize how precious the time I'm putting into all this? Bud, go get them and be gentle."

"R-Right!"

For his own reasons, Bud followed his Prez's orders and marched towards the two boys with his head and chest held high. He had wanted to properly talk to them all day and found his chance too. He was going to teach them exactly who's boss….which technically, is the Prez. But still, it was still fun to pretend to think he was the boss though.

However, just as he makes the halfway mark and stands in the center of the circular plaza, a stream of orange light descends down and gave Bud a small *ZAP* like sensation.

A sensation no different from every molecule being charged flowed through his body.

He stood there frozen, not taking another step forward. His eyes were hollow and blank as it stares up into the sky. It was like his soul just disappeared…or was overrun.

"What the? Hey, Bud! What are you doing, looking stupid and just standing there! Hurry up, get your butt in gear already!"

At that same moment, Omega-Xis flashes right next to Zero, clenching his teeth all the while cursing at how things turned out.

"Oh no….! I'm too late!"

"Omega-Xis! Good to see you! So you mind, telling us what the hell is going on!"

"Well, Zero, if you must know, I'll start with my conclusion: We are in a lot of trouble now!"

Voices kept coming back and forth from both sides of the catatonic Bud, who can neither hear the voice coming from the alien life form as well as his own friend.

"Hello! Earth to Bud! Can you hear my words entering that head full of food of yours!"

"A native from Planet FM, Taurus has just forced his way into Bud's body. He's attempting to force a Wave Change with Bud right now!"

"Bud! If you don't get your butt moving, I'm going to kick it into motion!"

"Once that happens, everyone here will be in danger!"

Zero can feel the sweat stress down on his forehead.

"Then what should we do? Throw them over a ledge and hope they land on a mountain of pillows before we fight this?"

"Sounds like wishful thinking but if you could make it happen, by all means….But we need to hurry before-!"

Bud then lets out an earth-shattering roar until a bright orange light completely envelops his body. The sheer intensity of the light was blinding just about everyone there, even Geo, Zero and Omega-Xis was caught in the glow.

When the light finally fades and everyone can see without it overwhelming their vision, they looked at the center of the Plaza. Neither of them can believe what they saw.

Standing on where Bull once stood was in short, a giant bull. To be more specific, it was an enormous and intimidating opponent, with two horns and red metallic armor plates. Fire escapes from his gauntlets as well as the nozzle he called a mouth.

Zack and Luna were trembling with paralyzing fear, seeing their friend turn into….that.

Luna barely musters the strength to speak as she and Zack cautiously backed away.

"B-Bud! Wha-What happened to you!"

A loud, booming voice comes out of the Bull; the impact of its voice was enough to shake the entire plaza.

"No! Not Bud! Not Taurus either! I am Taurus Fire!"

Flames explode out of Taurus Fire's nozzle and into the sky as it makes a powerful roar.

"Hmm, so that's Taurus huh? He's a lot pudgier than I expected."

The one to respond to Zero's remark was Omega-Xis.

"What'd you expect? It isn't easy to get a good cardio workout when you technically don't have legs to work with."

"Zero! What should we do? If we EM Wave Change here, the Prez and Zack will see us!"

"Right now, they seem more occupied with what happened to Bud and this Taurus Fire in front of them to notice. Still though, we'd better slip away and find a place where we can EM Wave Change in private just to be safe."

"Gotcha! Let's hurry before things get really dangerous!"

Geo and Zero slipped away quietly towards the bathroom they just came out of.

Meanwhile, Luna and Zack had their own problems to deal with.

Luna steps forward while keeping a cautious distance. She tries to remain calm and brave but her legs wouldn't stop trembling.

"B-Bud! I don't know what kind of joke you're pulling but stop it! RIGHT NOW!"

Taurus Fire looks back at Luna. His sharp glare looked like it literally stabbed through her body.

"Who are you! I'm not this 'Bud' you keep calling me, my name is TAURUS FIRE!"

"W-What! This isn't funny! What did you do to Bud! Give him back right now!"

"Hmph, for a human, you got a lot of nerve ordering me around. Well, if you're referring to this kid I took over then I'll give him back….Once I have my fun!"

Taurus Fire then turns his head quickly by a full 180 degrees.

"Now first things first, let's dispose of those brats I've wanted to crush all day!"

Taurus Fire was about to charge forward and tear through all in his path until his eyes focused on an empty scene where two kids were supposed to be trembling.

They were gone.

"Huh! Where'd they go?"

"Try looking up! You can do that, can't you?"

Taurus Fire raised his head up, on the unknown voice's instructions. What he saw wasn't an emerald green laser sword descending down upon him, but a green glass-like blade with a sharp edge that was about to cut him in half.

Taurus Fire raised up both of its gauntlets in a cross formation over its body. The blade strikes down and was caught between the gauntlets. The resulting clash released a massive ripple of force between the two fighters.

His opponent was significantly smaller than the last one he fought, although it might be because Taurus Fire has grown so much in size. Taurus Fire locked gazes against the newly Wave Changed Zero. Their fierce expressions mirrored one another.

"Oh so you're Zero, huh You wave changed as well? You know, it's kinda sad that the legendary Zero is just some scrawny little kid."

"A kid! Yeah well, it must be embarrassing for a big guy like you to get your ass handed to you by a 'scrawny little kid'!"

Zero leaps back and pulls his Z-Sabre away from Taurus Fire's gauntlets. Gaining distance, Zero quickly draws out his Buster and fires a light charge shot at Taurus. He didn't dodge or rather, he didn't need to. The shot hits Taurus Fire's torso head-on, but it made only a small dent on the surface of its body at most.

"Tch, if this was a video game, that shot would've taken at least 3 units off its health."

Taurus Fire lets out a roar as he violently tears a nearby table off its restraints and hurls it straight towards Zero with great force.

Despite the speed it fired at, Zero could easily dodge it or even cut it in half with his sword. However, he simply stands his ground, without the slightest change in his face.

At the last second, he kicks off the ground and jumps right on top of the flying table. The moment his feet touched the table, he leaps again while performing an aerial roll. Using the airborne table, Zero was able to jump at heights not thought possible on his own and was able to effortlessly glide high over Taurus' head. While flipping through the air, Zero's eyes saw the falling table again. Then an idea came to him in one lightning fast moment.

He whips out his Chain Rod, a small sharp tip blade similar to his Z-Sabre, connected to multiple energy chain links, and fires it right at the surface of the table. The blade stabs in deep while the chains extend. Continuing with the momentum of his body, Zero flips through with his chain and swings it forward, firing the table right back at Taurus before he even saw what was happening. The table shatters as it smashes head on towards Taurus Fire, causing him to reel back slightly.

"No way…"

Standing in the sidelines, Luna as well as Zack couldn't believe their eyes. In front of them, the real Zero was actually appearing right before them and despite the disadvantage in size, Zero had complete control of the fight and was putting Taurus Fire on the defensive. He took advantage of his surroundings, carefully analyzed his opponent, searched for any opening and exploited any weakness.

"Amazing…."

Was all Luna managed to say. Zack was too dumbstruck for words to even close his mouth. This was a moment so special that they just have to save it to their mental memory. Assuming the other kids will even believe them, Luna is certain that everyone back at school is going to be green with envy tomorrow.

Green blasts then struck Taurus on the back, but they didn't come from Zero's buster. But if Zero is here, then…..

"Are you two alright!"

"M-Megaman!"

Luna shouts with glee. Her face brightens instantly into a smile at the sight of the blue armoured boy standing right before her with his back facing her. His Mega Buster was aimed at Taurus, even though he took the time to look back at a starstruck Luna and Zack.

"You two seem to be alright. You need to get outta here! It's too dangerous."

"Ah, wait! Megaman…sir, what's happened to Bud?"

"He's been taken over but don't worry, Zero and I will snap him back right to his senses. For now, you two need to get out of here and find a safe place to hide!"

"No way! I'm not doing that!"

"What!"

"I'm not going anywhere, not until that stupid pig finally coughs Bud up right here!"

"I'm not a pig, I'm a cow. C-O-W!"

Taurus Fire shouts while being strangled by Zero's chain rod. Luna only shrugs it off without a care.

"Whatever, anyways! As class president aspiring to be student body president, I absolutely refuse to abandon one of my fellow students under any circumstances! You hear me, whatever the danger, I'm not going anywhere unless it's with Bud, Zack, Geo and Zero….Hey, now that I think about it, where are they?"

"I-I just evacuated them. You know, when Zero and Taurus Fire were fighting, we told them to leave and find a safe place to hide….Just like you two should be doing!"

Megaman hastily came up with that response while stressing a painful smile. It pained him how oblivious they were to their true identities. Oh well, they were better off not knowing anyways.

"Seriously? What's with those two? Passing up a chance to see Megaman and Megaman Zero in action just to find safety? Seriously, are they alright in the head?"

Luna should watch who she's talking about while behind their back….especially, when the people in question are right in front of her.

Maybe they were better off knowing after all.

"Uh Zero? You heard what the girl said. What should I do?"

Megaman asks Zero, who while fighting Taurus Fire, had a face of serious discomfort while swinging his Z-Sabre.

"….Tch, I can't believe I'm risking my lives for these people…..Megaman! The first priority is to protect civilians so if they're too stupid to use common sense, Megaman, then you're going to have to protect them."

"What about you? Will you be okay by yourself?"

"Yeah…probably."

Zero assures him, only to receive a strong fire-propelled giant fist right to his chest, sending him flying and crashing straight into a wall.

"Zero!"

"I'm okay!"

"I really hope so…."

Megaman sighs while dropping his shoulders. He wants to help him but he knows that if he disobey's Zero's orders, he'll only end up paying an even worse punishment afterwards. Besides, it's Zero, he'll be just fine by himself….right?

"Um, Megaman?"

Luna tightly taps Megaman's shoulder, earning the boys attention.

"Hmm? Oh don't worry, we won't do anything to harm you friend. I promise you'll be safe…."

"Uh yes, I know but…There's something….else….I wanted to talk about."

Luna was abnormally flustered. She kept blushing all the while constantly fidgeting with her hands and feet, only able to steal a few couple second glances at the famous Megaman.

Megaman blinks a few times while tilting his head curiously.

"Yes? What do you need?"

"W-Well, it's just…you two are really famous around here and even though I'm talking to you now, I don't think I can just go up to you and talk whenever I can so…..I was wondering if maybe, when this is over….I can take a picture with you two….maybe?"

"Uh well…."

"I-Is that a no?"

"No, I mean….I don't mind but….Now's….REALLY not the best time for this…."

Meanwhile, Zero was pulling himself out of the wall he just crashed in. He was dug in really deep through the stone and the cracks deepened as he pulls his arms out.

"Ok, this is starting to annoy me."

During the fight with Taurus, he noticed something. His strength was real and dangerous….but that's his only strength. His attacks are straight forward and he simply uses brute force to power his way through. It's effective in the beginning but as time passes, Zero becomes more familiar with his moves and patterns and with each attack he throws, Taurus becomes easier for Zero to read. It won't be long before he becomes an open book and he'll be able to anticipate each of his moves and counterattack effectively.

Taurus roars, which means he's about to attack. He does with a simple frontal charge. It was simple but powerful as Taurus' entire body released enough heat and force to burn up the atmosphere. With Zero literally backed against the wall, there was nowhere for him to go….except up.

Zero fires his Chain Rod into the air, which wraps itself around a high pole. Tugging on the chain, Zero grapples into the air at the last moment, letting Taurus just charge straight into the wall, impacting an even bigger hole than the one Zero had made. Zero lands soundly back on the ground, descending with his chain as he calmly faces Taurus' back. Taurus was still trying to pull his head out of the wall, which means this is his chance!

Rather than released his Chain Rod on the pole, Zero violently rips down, snapping the pole right off its base and send it straight down towards Taurus. The pole fired in and stabbed deep into Taurus Fire's back, penetrating its thick armor. It stuck up from its back like a lightning rod.

"Megaman! Use a Plasma Gun!"

"Got it! Battle Card! Plasma Gun! Predation!"

Megaman's left arm changes into a Plasma Gun and from the tip, fires a bolt of electricity right at Taurus Fire, which was absorbed by the steel pole embedded in its back and sent a powerful charge from within Taurus Fire's body, bypassing its armour and zapping what was within.

Even if it doesn't shock Bud's mind into consciousness, it was still going to hurt.

Taurus Fire lets out a scream of pain as every tiny bit of his body was getting charged with a painful amount of voltage.

It was exactly like Zero intended. That thick skin of Taurus Fire was a serious nuisance to him, so he had to get over it. This is how he did it. It all went like he wanted.

Despite the shock painfully coursing through its body, Taurus Fire manages to fight against the burning pain surging and roughly tear the steel pole from out of its back, ending the seemingly endless shocks continuously overwhelming its body.

Taurus Fire breathed heavy and collapsed to one knee. Had he waited a second later to pull out that pole from his back, there was no doubt that he wouldn't even be able to move with the grievous wounds plaguing him. Now with a massive crack and hole on its back, Taurus Fire was reaching his limits in this fight.

"Release Bud, Taurus! Don't make me cut out your influence on him by force."

"Hah! Hah! You think….you've beaten ME! Fool! I'm gonna burn you until there's nothing left!"

Using every ounce of strength left in his body, Taurus Fire inhales deeply. Something hot was coming from its nozzle as Zero can see smoke gathering in them. A blazing torrent of flames than explodes from the nozzle and the stream of fire through itself right towards Zero.

Zero mounts his Z-Sabre on his forearm and began spinning the blade around like the blade of a chainsaw. The rapid spin creates an energy shield, his Shield Boomerang.

The surface of his Shield Boomerang collides with the stream of fire coming from Taurus Fire's nozzle. The flames immediately scattered once it hits the surface of his shield but Taurus Fire continues spewing the flames against Zero, pinning him down.

The Shield was effectively blocking the flames but unless Taurus Fire relents on his fiery assault, Zero had no room to launch a counterattack against any opening left by Taurus Fire. If he moved from that spot even by a little, he or everyone else would be caught up in the flames and be terribly burned.

Taurus Fire won't be able to keep this up forever but then again, neither could Zero.

It became a battle of stamina.

"Mwahahahahahaha! What's the matter, Zero? Can't do anything except defend? Just how are you supposed to beat me now that you can't attack!"

"Bud!"

An unexpected shout came from Luna, which was able to draw even Taurus Fire's attention.

"Listen to me, Bud! You're supposed to be strong, that's why I keep you around at all! So what are you thinking? Letting yourself get possessed by some stupid cow! Listen, if you're as strong as you say then prove it! Show to me that this cow doesn't have what it takes to possess you RIGHT NOW!"

Luna's forceful tone and loud words had more of an effect than even she herself realized.

Something inside Taurus Fire snapped….or rather awakened. Like he had just got up from a bad dream, Bud's eyes snapped open within his own consciousness and while it was uncertain as to whether or not Bud could've overtaken Taurus, it gave Zero the opportunity he needed.

Taurus Fire suddenly flinched and faced up into the air with empty eyes. The flames from his nozzles were suddenly cut and with those flames finally out of the way, Zero wasted no time.

"Now's my chance….!"

Swiping his arm, Zero fires his Shield Boomerang with tremendous force at Taurus Fire, managing to sever off one of Taurus Fire's horns. Taurus Fire lets out a scream of agonizing pain into the air and while distracted by the loss of one of his horns, Zero dashes forward, sweeping right under Taurus Fire's line of sight while thrusting his Z-Sabre straight through Taurus Fire's already weakened armor, stabbing the blade right through his torso.

The tip of Zero's Z-Sabre then comes out of the hole in Taurus Fire's back, recently inflicted by the pole Zero had stabbed into its body.

Taurus Fire froze up, barely able to tremble at the sight of Zero's Z-Sabre stabbed right through his chest. It was then that as he could feel all strength drain away from the wound inflicted by that sword, the cold truth hits him.

"Y-You…."

"You lose, Taurus…."

Zero's last words until a bright white light begins to come out of the hole and cracks inflicted upon Taurus Fire's chest, completely enveloping Taurus Fire, Zero and everyone else within 20 metres of the battlefield with its blinding rays. It was that exact same phenomenon that occurred when Bud was taken over.

The light they felt on the surface of their skins was intense and warm.

When the light enveloping the area finally faded and Luna was able to open her eyes, she noticed everyone was gone.

Megaman, Zero and the one calling himself Taurus Fire was nowhere to be found.

All she and Zack could find was Bud, lying there unconscious on the middle of the floor. '

"Bud!"

Both of them shouted as they raced towards their fallen friend, who showed no signs of consciousness.

Running to their side, both of them frantically shook their large friend, hoping it would stir him back up and he would awaken. Both Luna and Zack tried reaching to him with their voices.

"Hey! Hey, Bud! Can you hear me! It's Zack! Wake up!"

"Argh, Bud! Wake up, darn you! How long are you going to sleep there for! I said WAKE UP!"

"…..Mmm…Hmm…Mmm…..Huh?"

Bud's lips kept moving around as if he was eating something, until after blinking a few times, his eyes steadily upon.

"…..Huh? Zack….? Prez….?"

"Bud!"

Both of them shout with a smile instantly stretched across their faces. It took everything Zack not to bawl tears out of his ear.

"Y-You're awake….! A-Are you okay!"

"Y-Yeah, my head just hurts a little….Umm, what am I doing sleeping on the ground? Actually, what happened here?"

Bud looks around the place and it looked like war had broken out around the place. Walls were a bit crumbled and the floors were torn apart like crazy.

Luna raised a brow when it looked like Bud's cluelessness was genuine.

"You don't remember? Bud, you got possessed by this mad cow and turned into this even bigger cow and started wrecking the place…But Megaman and Zero came in and totally beat you up! Uh well not 'you' you but, 'that cow' you."

"Huh, really? I…I don't remember any of that. Did that really happen?"

"Yeah, it happened. That last hit Zero made must've smacked you on the head hard so you didn't remember but it happened, Zack and I were there. I kinda wished you were able to see what we saw. It was….pretty incredible."

"Huh, I remembered something about a cow but….to think I was saved by Megaman and Zero. That's…..kinda cool. Hey speaking of which, where are Zero and Geo? Did they run away or something during the battle?"

"Ah!"

Luna smacked her head with her palm as realization hits her face.

"I completely forgot about those two! In all the excitement, I kinda forgot they existed. I'd better give them a call, just to make sure they're safe."

Luna frantically pulls out her Hunter-VG and began to dial Geo and Zero's ID's into the call function of her device, all the while cursing,

"I swear, I can't believe these two decided to run off to a safe place and pass up their front row seats for one of the coolest fights they'll ever see in their lifetime!"

**Part 6**

"Yes Prez, we're fine. You don't need to worry about us, we got home safely. How about you guys? Is Bud doing okay?"

[Yeah, he's fine. We were lucky enough that Megaman and Zero were able to step in and save him.]

"That's good…."

If they only knew.

"Anyways, I'll see you guys tomorrow. Bye."

Geo clicks the screen and ends his call with Luna. That bit about being at home was a lie. Geo felt bad for lying to her but Zero explained it was the best way to ease her troubles while at the same time, keep their covers from being exposed.

Where they were now was on a nearby rooftop on one of the buildings near the site where they battled Taurus Fire. From where they were, they could see Luna and the others being the size of ants as they steadily walked away from the torn up plaza. While Geo could see them walking away, Zero was so tired that he collapsed on the railings of the rooftop, ready to sleep in that unbelievably awkward pose.

"This is exactly why I don't go shopping. It's even more exhausting than dealing with virus and mavericks."

"Still though, it's strange how someone from Planet FM just came out of nowhere and just started attacking us. Hey, Mega. Do you have any idea what Taurus was doing here?"

Omega-Xis comes out of Geo's Hunter-VG, with a disgruntled look and his arms crossed. He obviously didn't look happy.

"Hmph, no idea, would probably have asked if he didn't disappear on us so suddenly on that last second. But it is strange."

"Hmm? What is, exactly?"

"Well….How should I put it….He is definitely Taurus but….when I confronted him earlier, he didn't feel like the Taurus I know. And he said a lot of weird things that didn't make sense."

"What did he say? Or rather, can you remember your entire conversation and exactly what happened?"

The one who spoke was Zero, not Geo, who showed unusual interest on the subject. Omega-Xis meanwhile, was being surprisingly compliant with Zero, in his own way of course.

"Well, I remembered the stuff that I found weird. The other stuff not so much."

"Well, think harder then. And write down a log of every single word exchanged between you two."

"EVERY WORD! What do you need to know what we say for anyways? Not like it has anything to do with you."

"Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. Either way, just do it."

"….Tch, fine. Whatever you want, I still think it's a waste of effort."

While grumbling to himself, Omega-Xis pulls back into Geo's Hunter-VG. What he does in there is still a mystery, Zero only hopes that he's doing what he's told. He was pretty serious about this, as if his life depended on it.

Then, just as the matter with Taurus was resolved, Geo suddenly remembered something important.

"Ah, Zero! I almost forgot. I found something on the ground laying next to Bud after we defeated Taurus Fire."

"Oh?"

Zero became curious as Geo reached into his back pocket and presented him something strange on the palm of his hand.

"I think Taurus dropped it while he was running away. I didn't know what it was though."

Zero blinks a few times as the small item in Geo's hand….was definitely strange. Strange being that he's never seen it before. It looked like a chip…or even a shard of metal. It was roughly the same size as Geo's palm. It was a sickly white colour with a crimson glowing circular core embedded in the center of the shard, with violet circuit lines coming off from the core.

It wasn't just the appearance of the object that was strange but the overall feel of it that Zero was sensing from the object that made his blood run cold.

He sensed something malevolent coming from the core, whose sickly colour kept reminding him of blood. And the circuit lines running from that core felt like veins, pulsating like heartbeats.

"What the….?"

Zero picks it up from Geo's hand. The moment the surface of his fingers even touched the piece of metal, a horrible pain began to burn in his mind. How could he describe this feeling? It was like every molecule in his body was being twisted and torn apart simultaneously.

"!"

The agonized scream he lets out into the air was enough to tear out his throat but not enough to represent the pain going through his body. It felt like his mind was being torn apart, and it was gonna blow up at any moment.

A dark voice than rang into his mind; it wasn't a voice he recognized.

(….Zero…..My masterpiece….)

"Zero!"

On reflex, Geo smacks the metal shard out of his mind before more pain could be done to him. Zero's scream was quelled and the pain was finally gone. However, he was left in an almost catatonic state as his blank eyes just stared at the sky.

Any ounce of strength he had vanished and soon, he couldn't even stand. He collapsed onto the ground, clutching onto his right hand, which wouldn't stop shivering.

"Zero! Are you okay!"

Geo was speechless. The Zero before him looked completely hysterical. He was breathing heavily and it looked like he had woken up from a terrible nightmare.

"Y-Yeah, I-I'm fine, I just….felt pain the second I touched it. And boy, did it hurt."

"Felt pain? You looked like you were about to explode from that! Anyways, are you okay? Can you stand?"

"Y-Yeah, I can now anyways."

Like a puppet on strings, Zero forces his body up. His knees were weak but he at least had enough strength to stand. But his arm…it wouldn't stop trembling. The hand that touched that thing wouldn't stop shivering.

"We'd better send that thing to Prairie. Maybe, she can figure it out what it is."

"S-Sure, I'll go get it. But Zero….Are you really okay?"

"Y-Yeah…."

The pain he felt is gone but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't concerned.

What was this thing doing on Taurus and why didn't Geo feel anything from it when he did?

Most importantly, what was that voice that spoken in his mind.

**Part 7**

"He's progressing nicely. Just as he envisioned, but it's not enough. It'll be some time until he's ready to fulfill 'his' legacy."

"…."

"Iris, I know what you did. I know you tried to make contact with Zero. Why did you do that?"

"….Am I….not allowed to?"

"No but you understand, don't you? If you told him too much, then everything 'he' worked so hard to accomplish, 'his' life's work would be thrown away in a heartbeat if he knew."

"….But…it isn't right. What he intends to do….What he intends to make Zero do to this world….It isn't right."

"Right or not, it's not our place to say. We both owe a great debt to that man and so the least we can do is carry out his last wishes. We owe him that much. However, our orders are what they are, and no matter what he intends for Zero to do, it's up to Zero to decide which path he'll follow."

"Which path he'll follow…Is it alright to force such a destiny on a boy so young. A boy who could've lived a normal life if it weren't for all this. Why should we force this on him? To choose between becoming the light that will cut into the future…."

"….or the darkness that will devour this world whole. Regardless, our mission stands. Iris, you be careful not to overstep your boundaries. I'll look over this one incident but only this one time, do you understand?"

"Of course….brother…."


End file.
